„Gypsy Delinquency”? – Stereotypes about Gypsies in 1970s

Abstract

This document was written by policemen in the 1970s about a gypsy group. In the official discourse gypsy delinquency and the gypsy question didn’t exist. In the socialist period the government wanted to integrate the gypsies into society. From this source we were able to analyse how gypsies were stereotyped. The real delinquency (robbery) was contextualized as gypsy delinquency. The source uses stereotypical expressions hinting at the gypsy way of life: close family ties, horse-buying, etc. The document also shows that the attempts at integration were only party successful: these gypsy people had a workplace while keeping their previous lifestyle.