Romani Chieftain (Zigeuner)

A skinny, grey mustached fellow served as the chieftain of a village of Zigeuner located three kilometers south of Nagylengyel, Hungary. He and his village were rounded up by German and Hungarians in October, 1944.

Initially, the chieftain was approached Haupsturmführer Joseph Stieglitz. The chieftain only answered in his native language, or in Hungarian, professing to have no German. Stieglitz approached a Hungarian driver, who agreed to translate for Stieglitz.

Through the Hungarian, Stieglitz explained to the chieftain the village would be taken to Zalaegerszeg. When the chieftain asked for more details, Stieglitz informed him that the village would be then sent by train to Poland, where they would be housed and fed. When the chieftain protested that the villagers preferred to stay where they were, Stieglitz informed him that the village had to be moved as a military necessity. When the chieftain again protested, assuring Stieglitz they would not help the Red Army or steal from the Germans, Stieglitz informed them they would move; he would do it peacefully if possible, but he would move them. Realizing the impossibility of their situation, the chieftain agreed, telling Stieglitz he was relying on Stieglitz's honor as a German officer that everything would work out as he'd promised. Stieglitz falsely agreed. The villagers gathered what they could carry and loaded on the truck, and the convoy returned to Zalaegerszeg.

After a delay, the Zigeuner were taken to a train of cattle cars, not passenger cars. When the chieftain saw this he said to Stieglitz in German, "So much for your honor." Stieglitz responded, "We all do what we're required to do." The chieftain and his people boarded with as much dignity as they could. The train then departed for Poland.