Author: Joey Rauschenberger, Historisches Seminar (Department of History), Universität Heidelberg (Heidelberg University)

Abstract: »Two chapters examine a special form of sexualized violence that Sinti and Roma children had to endure. JOEY RAUSCHENBERGER in his contribution on ‘Forced sterilization of underage Sinti and the struggle for compensation’ understands the mass sterilization of Sinti and Roma under National Socialism as a form of state-perpetrated sexual violence. The sterilization policy against adult Roma was systematically extended to children and adolescents over the age of twelve. After a brief historical contextualization of the phenomenon, this violent sexual crime against children is illustrated by two case studies. With the help of the compensation files, the focus is directed towards the long-term consequences on the victims post-war lives. Subsequently, the question of compensation for sterilized Sinti children is raised. RAUSCHENBERGER’S analysis considers the extent to which the administrative procedures reflected the tragic fate of the applicants, and according to which criteria and internal logics the authorities made their decisions over the course of the decades.« (Source: Helga Amesberger, Helga Embacher, Johannes-Dieter Steinert. »Introduction: Ideological Intersection of Sexualized Violence during Nazi Persecution.« I haven’t even told my mother: Children as victims of sexual and sexualised violence in the Second World War and its aftermath. Edited by Helga Amesberger et al. Salzburg 2025: 16)

Wikipedia: History of Europe: History of Germany / Nazi Germany | Ethnicity: Romani people / Sinti | Genocide: The Holocaust / Sexual violence during the Holocaust | Sex and the law: Sexual violence / Compulsory sterilization