Yeniche people

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The Yeniche, or Jenische, are the third-largest population of nomadic people (or "Travelers") in Europe, living mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of France. They are some of the most geographically widespread in Western Europe. The term Yeniche generally refers to those living in France and Belgium, while Jenische refers to those in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Jenische have been concentrated mostly around the Rhineland.

in the 15th century

Mostly through important taboo systems, the Yeniche also differ culturally from the Roma and are considered a different group, though they may fall under a more generic but often more loosely defined category of Gypsy. They have their own proper Yeniche language. The Yeniche often claim to be descendents of the Celts.

The Jenische always stay in extended families.

[edit] Switzerland persecution

Until the 1970s, the Swiss government had a semi-official policy of institutionalizing Yeniche parents as "mentally ill" and having their children be adopted by more "normal" Swiss citizens, in an effort to eliminate Yeniche culture^[1]. The name of this program was "Kinder der Landstrasse" ("children of the country road"). 590 children were taken from their parents and institutionalized in orphanages, mental institutions and even prisons^[2]. Today 35,000 Jenische live in Switzerland, mostly concentrated around Graubünden. Only about 5,000 of them currently live the traditional traveller lifestyle.

[edit] Sources

^ On Swiss Crimes against Yeniche (German)
^ Le Temps (Geneva) December 12, 2007. Article : "Le passé enfin écrit des enfants enlevés en Suisse", an historical study spanning the years from 1926 to 1973.