The Time of the Gypsies

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Until 1989, Communist policy in Eastern Europe aimed to assimilate Gypsies into the working class. Since then, they have become scapegoats in the post-communist era, facing increased violence and discrimination. In the first six years after communism, more Gypsies suffered from racist attacks than in all of World War II. Today, they are marginalized, feared, and often hated, reminiscent of the historical treatment of Jews. The narrative focuses on the Rom, a group of Gypsies who resist assimilation and strive to maintain their cultural identity. It explores the roots of cultural diversity in modern society and the fear that such differences can provoke. Central to the book is the author's eighteen months of immersion in a Gypsy settlement, where he observes the celebration and reinvention of their culture, often dismissed by outsiders as primitive or uncivilized. As the only journalist to have lived within this community and learned their language, the author shares his journey of discovery, revealing insights into their way of life. Seemingly trivial events, like a Gypsy woman sitting on his hat, become key to understanding how this unique people, without a homeland and distinct from other diasporas, have managed to thrive.