Rome Bones Buried in Leipzig After 150 Years - Germany Marks Milestone: First Public Burial of Roma Remains
A significant step towards acknowledging past wrongs took place in Leipzig on October 1, 2025. Three sets of Roma remains, collected centuries ago for racist research purposes, were finally laid to rest in a public burial ceremony. This marked a first for Germany, with the focus being on commemorating the victims and returning their remains to dignity.
The remains, part of a once extensive skull collection assembled by scientists in the late 19th century at the Institute of Anatomy in Leipzig, were respectfully interred at the South Cemetery. Despite extensive research, it was not possible to trace the ancestry of these individuals, leading scientists and the Roma and Sinti association to agree on a burial in Leipzig.
The burial comes amidst ongoing efforts to address the legacy of colonial-era collections. Currently, around 1,200 colonial-era skulls remain housed at the Institute of Anatomy in Leipzig. The university is committed to continuing provenance research, aiming to return these remains to their communities of origin where possible.
The burial of these three sets of Roma remains is a poignant reminder of the past and a step towards healing. It serves as a stark reminder of the racist underpinnings of some historical scientific research. As the university continues its work, it is hoped that more remains can be respectfully returned to their communities, and that such tragic chapters in history can be acknowledged and learned from.
