Romani people in Germany are estimated at around 170,000[1]–300,000,[1] constituting around 0.2–0.4% of the German population. One-third of Germany's Romani belong to the Sinti group.[2] Most speak German or Sinte Romani.
History
Origins
The Romani people originate from the NorthernIndia,[3][4][5][6][7][8] presumably from the northwestern Indian states Rajasthan[7][8] and Punjab.[7] Linguistic studies have argued that roots of Romani languages lie in India: the languages have grammatical characteristics of Indian languages and share with them a part of the basic lexicon, for example, body parts or daily routines.[9] More exactly, Romani shares the basic lexicon with Hindi and Punjabi. It shares many phonetic features with Marwari, while its grammar is closest to Bengali.[10]
Genetic findings in 2012 suggest the Romani originated in northwestern India and migrated as a group.[4][5][11] According to a genetic study in 2012 about the ancestors of present scheduled tribes and scheduled caste populations of northernIndia, traditionally referred to collectively as the Ḍoma, are the likely ancestral populations of modern European Roma.[12]
In February 2016, during the International Roma Conference, the Indian Minister of External Affairs stated that the people of the Roma community were children of India. The conference ended with a recommendation to the Government of India to recognize the Roma community spread across 30 countries as a part of the Indian diaspora.[13]
Romani civilians in Asperg, Germany are rounded up for deportation by Nazi authorities on 22 May 1940. Colorized.Gypsy Family in Prison, 1864 painting by Carl d´Unker, a Swedish painter living and working in Düsseldorf. An actual imprisoned family served as the models. The reason for their imprisonment remains unknown
^Hancock, Ian F. (2005) [2002]. We are the Romani People. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. p. 70. ISBN978-1-902806-19-8: ‘While a nine century removal from India has diluted Indian biological connection to the extent that for some Romani groups, it may be hardly representative today, Sarren (1976:72) concluded that we still remain together, genetically, Asian rather than European’{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
^Hübschmannová, Milena (1995). "Romaňi čhib – romština: Několik základních informací o romském jazyku". Bulletin Muzea Romské Kultury (4/1995). Brno: Muzeum romské kultury. Zatímco romská lexika je bližší hindštině, marvárštině, pandžábštině atd., v gramatické sféře nacházíme mnoho shod s východoindickým jazykem, s bengálštinou.
