Philomena Franz
27-03-2000
Born in 1922 in Biberach an der Riss, for seven years she made her living
as a folklore dancer and singer in a theatre group. In 1943 she was sent
to Auschwitz, and later to the concentration camps in Ravensbruck and
Oranienburg. She writes mostly Romani tales and organizes literary readings at
schools and universities and lives in Rosrath near Cologne. In August 1995 she
was awarded the "Federal Cross for Merits" - the highest civil award which
Germany confers. She was the first Sinti awarded the prize for her "activities
endeavouring after understanding and conciliation."
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