DINA BABBITT

On Nov. 17, the board of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum is meeting. One of the items on the agenda is the return of Ms. Dina Babbitt's watercolors.

Rromani groups have submitted letters in behalf of Ms. Babbitt. She is now 86 yrs old and suffering with stomach cancer. We feel it is important her artwork is returned to her now. Time is running out.

As Rroma, we are especially thankful to Ms Babbitt for documenting, through her art, the experience of Rroma/Sinti in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

A supportive article appeared in the most recent edition of the AARP magazine. Interestingly, the article never mentioned the fact that the watercolors in contention are portraits of Rroma/Sinti prisoners of the Holocaust. This is a very important fact. That AARP chose to omit this is evidence of the invisibility of the suffering of the Rroma/Sinti and the importance of documentation such as Ms. Babbitt's watercolors.

We all owe her gratitude for her contribution to justice and fairness.