Feb 20, 2006: Anniversary of 150 years since the Romanian Gypsies were freed from slavery

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 20, 2006)

This day, in 1856, the Principality of Walachia (now the Southern part of Romania) officially emancipated the Gypsies (i.e. ‘Roma people’) from slavery.

The process of Gypsy slavery abolition started back in 1844 – when Mihail Sturdza (Prince of Moldavia) freed the Gipsy slaves belonging to the state and the monasteries. Walachian Prince Alexandru Ghica did the same in 1845.

Romanian Gypsies enjoyed full emancipation in Moldavia on Dec 22, 1855, and in Walachia on Feb 20 1856.

At the end of the 19th century, the progressive Romanian politician and writer Mihail Kogalniceanu said that “the emancipative reform soon showed positive results: (…) Even if less than 50 years have passed since the emancipation, the Gipsies gave (our nation) industrialists, artists, brave officers, efficient managers, physicians and even distinguished orators in the parliament.”

Romania Report