Michaela Küchler on nearly forgotten concentration camp and need to remember genocide of the Roma
In this episode of Czechast, we talk to Michaela Küchler, Secretary General of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. She shares her family’s deep Czech roots and her work preserving the memory of the Roma and Sinti genocide. We discuss the story of the Lety camp and why remembrance matters now more than ever.
The International Day of Remembrance for the Roma and Sinti Holocaust is marked every year on 2 August. On that night in 1944, Nazi forces murdered more than 4,000 Roma at Auschwitz-Birkenau. It remains one of the least-known chapters of Holocaust history.
In the latest episode of Czechast, we talk to Michaela Küchler, Secretary General of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Her ties to Czechia are deeply personal: her grandparents lived here after the war until one day her grandfather, speaking German to his wife on a Prague street, was slapped by a stranger. It was the moment the family decided to leave.
“My grandfather spoke fluent Czech. My grandmother didn't. And my grandfather got slapped in the street in Prague when he spoke German with his wife. And that's when he said, we’re going to leave.”
They settled in Bavaria, but Czechia never left their hearts. Michaela’s father brought her back often, instilling a lasting love for the country.
“My father loved Czechoslovakia and he loved Czechia. And we went so often to Prague as children or young adults. He planted that love in my heart, and it fell on fertile ground.”
Today, Michaela works internationally to safeguard Holocaust memory and fight distortion — including recognition of the genocide of Roma and Sinti people. And she explains that one of the most tragic sites is in Southern Bohemia, where over 1,300 Roma were interned.
“Lety u Písku is in the Czech Republic… about 335 people died on site. And more than 500 were transported to Auschwitz, many of whom died during the transport or at the camp.”
For decades, a pig farm stood on the site — a symbol of neglect. Only recently was it removed, and in 2024 a new national memorial was opened. For Michaela, remembrance is not just about history; it is about dignity, justice, and preventing the repetition of hate.
The full conversation explores her family history, her mission at IHRA, and why the Roma Holocaust must never fade from memory. You can listen to this Czechast episode on your favourite podcast platform — and while you’re at it, check out Prague Off the Beaten Track, our sister podcast about the lesser‑known parts of the Czech capital.
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Czechast, Radio Prague International
Czechast is a regular RPI podcast about Czech and Moravian culture, history, and economy.
