The Roma and the Sinti are the two main branches of the people who are often known as "Gypsies." The Roma and Sinti consider the term "Gypsy" offensive, so they do not use that word themselves.The Roma and Sinti were among the first victims of the Nazis. Even before 1933 there were special laws for "Gypsies." They were not allowed to travel around or live together in camps.

Once the Nazis gained power they took extra measures against the Roma and Sinti. From July 1933 their children were sterilised so they could never have children themselves. According to the Nazis the Roma and Sinti were "born criminals." In their registration system they were put into the group of "anti-socials" along with prostitutes, beggars, alcoholics and the homeless.

In 1936 the Olympic Games were held in Berlin. Just before the Games began all the Roma and Sinti in and around Berlin were rounded up and put in a concentration camp. The Nazis thought that "Gypsies" did not belong in German society. In the years that followed Roma and Sinti were also imprisoned in other German cities.

In November 1941, 1,000 German and Austrian Roma and Sinti were gassed at the Chelmno extermination camp in Poland. That was over eight months before the mass gassing of Jews began. Nazi scientists also often subjected Roma and Sinti people to medical experiments in the extermination camps. It is estimated that the Nazis murdered between 5,000,000 and 1,000,000 Roma and Sinti.