The total Romani population of Germany is now estimated at some 100,000, though exact figures do not exist. It consists historically of two populations: The few survivors and descendents of the Romani (mostly Cinti) population that had lived in Germany bef ore World War II, and was almost entirely exterminated by the Nazis; and homeless and stateless Romani refugees as well as Romani immigrants who arrived in Germany after the war. The first group, comprising about a third of the total Romani population in g ermany, has by now finally succeeded in regaining their citizen rights. They have also been widely recognized as victims of the Nazi genocide, although their claims for reparations have never been accepted.

The second group still lacks any permanent status. Many of them arrived in Germany as Displaced Persons after World War II, but the authorities still require them to renew their residence permit every few years. Even members of the younger generation, born and raised in the country, are not entitled to German citizenship. In some recent cases, immigrant children were assigned foreign citizenships and deported, following newly signed 'transfer' agreements between Germany, Rumania, Bulgaria, Poland and the Cz ech republik.

Recent refugees number between twenty and thirty thousand, but their numbers are growing as nationality conflicts in eastern Europe intensify and violent attacks against Roma increase, especially in Romania, Slovakia and the former Yugoslavia. Internationa l human rights agencies have been aware of the severe situation facing eastern European Roma for many months. Overt persecution and abusements of human rights of the Romani population have been subject of extensive reports by Helsinki Watch, the Council o f Europe and UNHCR and have been included in the final statement of the CSCE-meetings in Geneva, Moscow, Copenhagen and Helsinki. The UN Human Rights Commission, adopted a resolution entitled ''Protection of Roma" in March 1992.

Despite international attention to the Romani despair, German authorities continue to insist that Roma are not persecuted nor discriminated against. According to statements made by the German

foreign ministry as a reference for asylum procedures, Roma in eastem Europe are'' not popular due to their alien traditions and customs". Not one single Rom has ever been granted refugee Status in Germany. Growing incitement against the Romani population and especially against Romani refugees has been spreading in Germany not only through radical right-wing groups, but also via mass media and official statements of politicians.

In a statement made on April 3, 1992, in the Bundestag, the German parliament, the Federal Government stressed once again that

• '' Roma in the Federal Republic (of Germany) are not regarded as a minority; this also applies to Roma who are German citizens." (Deutscher Bundestag, Drucksache 12/2367)

This attitude is paralleled by repeated aggressive remarks on the Part of German politicians against the Romani population. On the whole, such remarks are made in order to justify the German authorities' expulsion policy towards Romani refugees. Indeed, th ey are not restricted to the extreme right-wing political parties:

• - In an interview to the daily newspaper ''taz" in September 1990 in Bremen, city council supervisor Heck, a member of the Green party, compared the Romani Holocaust with the disppearance of the dinosaurs and concluded: ''We cannot help everybody we've hu rt throughout history", and: ''The Romani culture is not worth protecting";

• - The Socialdemocratic member of the state parliament of North-Rhine-Westphalia Marmulla called upon citizens of his home town Recklinghausen in June 1990 to organize a civil guard troop against Gypsies;

• - The member of the Bremen state parliament ''Schmidt" of the radical German People's Union commented on the Romani Holocaust during a session of parliament in July 1990, saying that ''it's a pity that not more of them were murdered". He was taken to cour t for making racist remarks, but was proclaimed not guilty after appealing to a higher court authority.

• - The Minister of Social Affairs of Northrhine-Westphalia, the Socialdemocrat Hermann Heinemann, said in a recent interview to the German weekly Der Spiegel (37/1992): ''Sentiments against refugees are triggered especially by one group which has been pois oning our social cimate - the Roma from Romania and Yugoslavia''.

• - Frankfurter Rundschau of 5.9.92 writes: ''It is not correct to assume that we are against foreigners; the problem are the Gypsies. ''

• - Badische Zeitung of 28.8.92 in a headline: '' A pure disease, theses Gypsies."

• - Hamburger Morgenpost, in a commentary following last summer's events in Rostock: '' One cannot deny - Roma are a serious plague, and this is not a racist remark."

These are only few excerpts out of an endless list of verbal assaults against the Romani community on the part of prominent German politicians and media. But anti-Gypsy policy in Germany is not restricted to verbal aggression; rather, it is governed by a d eep contradiction, disregarding the Roma as a minority group on the one hand, while treating them as a social menace to be kept away from German soil on the other. Thus, there is no mention of Roma in schoolbooks and no Romani education program provided f o r by the authorities, despite initiatives on the part of the Romani community. But the government continues to take all possible measures against the Roma, clearly classifying them as a separate entity when it comes to observation, persecution and expul s ion:

• - On November 1, 1992 a treaty between Germany and Romania became effective, which is to regulate the ''transfer of refugees who are not in possession of valid documents" to Romania. Though not explicitly mentioned, the treaty concerns stateless Romani re fugees. According to the agreement, it is sufficient that German authorities '' assume that the persons concerned are Romanian citizens '' in order to deport them to Romania. Article 2, section 5 of the treaty confirms that not only Romanian citizens are t o be deported to Romania: '' German authorities will consider allowing persons to return to Germany, if the Romanian authorities deliver convincing proof that those persons are not and never have been Romanian citizens.'' The Romanian government has been a warded 30 million D-Marks for its willingness to cooperate with the German Zigeuner-raus methods.

• - In its decision Nr. A 1549869-154 of January 5, 1993, the Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees residing in Zirndorf, Bavaria argued that the situation of Roma in Romania may not be classified as political persecution and Roma from Roma nia are therefore not entitled to political asylum. The Office continued to comment on the Romani situation, legitimising violent racist attacks against them: '' As a result of the alien character of the Roma, theirstubborn retention of alien traditions, a n intensive rejection of Roma as well as deep prejudices have emerged (in Romania). This is normal. It is also understandable, that such feelings are now expressed in a violent manner."

• - Since 1986 the City of Cologne runs a so-called Unit for Ethnic Minorities; despite its general designation, its only task is to observe Romani families. The Unit coordinates Roma-related activities of Welfare and Immigration authorities, a Child Custod y Unit and a special police task force.

• - Both the Federal and State Governments continue to disregard applications made by Romani refugees for treatment in accordance with the International Geneva Convention. Legal application forms submitted to the Chancellor's office in Bonn have been referr ed to in internal correspondences as '' name lists "; in a statement on behalf of the Federal Government in the Bundestag on April 15, 1991, Secretary of State Dr. Waffenschmidt said that '' the legal implications of the Geneva Convention are not applicabl e to Romani refugees " (Deutscher Bundestag, Drucksache 12/271). Thus, a legal procedure base upon international law is annulated for an entire ethnic minority on political grounds.

• - In the same statement, Dr. Waffenschmidt also confirms that: '' The Romani people live in many different states. Their status has been subject of many debates in various international forums. The Federal Government does not wish to accelerate this proce ss by applying its own internal regulations." Despite this articulated position, Germany was the only state - among 43 partieipants - that voted against Resolution 62 of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on March 5, 1992, entitled '' Protection of Roma ". The argument provided by the German delegation to justify its boycot vote:'' The Roma do not constitute a minority in Germany. They should not be the subject of positive discrimination. Germany wishes to retain its to expell Romani re fugees".