On the occasion of Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day, a photographic exhibition entitled Fragile Memories opened at the Holocaust Museum in Sereď. The opening formed part of the commemorative event NABISTERAS/NEZABÚDAME (WE WILL NOT FORGET), honouring the memory of the Roma genocide during the Second World War.
The event was organised by Alexander Daško, Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities, and the Slovak National Museum – Museum of Jewish Culture – Holocaust Museum in Sereď. The programme also included the opening of Fragile Memories, a project by the Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC).
Through photographs by Barbora Haviarová and authentic personal testimonies, the exhibition presents the life stories of an older generation of Roma women and men from different regions of Slovakia. Developed over more than five years, the project documents the stories of 24 seniors and their memories of childhood, family, work and everyday life, as well as the war and post-war years.
Within the setting of the Holocaust Museum in Sereď, memories connected with the Second World War take on particular significance. Some of the seniors portrayed remember the war years from their own childhood, while others carry memories passed down by their parents. Their stories speak of fear, hiding, hunger and uncertainty experienced by their families. At the same time, their testimonies capture life in all its breadth – relationships, work, family, and the joys and hardships of everyday life.
“These portraits are more than a historical record. They are a living, embodied experience, inscribed in wrinkles, gestures and gazes,” said Ľubomíra Slušná Franz, President of ACEC, in her address. She emphasised that Fragile Memories not only bears witness to stories that have often been overlooked, but also creates space for understanding, respect and intergenerational dialogue.
Photographer Barbora Haviarová has long focused on portrait photography and subjective documentary work. She photographed the seniors in their own homes during personal encounters and conversations. “I try to tell a person’s story not through words, but through what is inscribed in their face,” she says of her approach.
Fragile Memories is a project of the Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC). The exhibition is installed in the outdoor grounds of the Holocaust Museum in Sereď and will remain open to visitors until 30 September 2026.
The project was implemented with financial support from the Fund for the Support of the Culture of National Minorities and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. Project partners are the Slovak National Museum – Museum of Jewish Culture – Holocaust Museum in Sereď and the E.SK Foundation.
