Romani people in Switzerland

About 80,000 to 100,000 Romani people live in Switzerland.

The Romani minority in Switzerland are subjected to discrimination along with Yenish people. A police ‘Gypsy registry’ was established before World War I. In the year 1914, the Swiss Roma were interned and expelled from Switzerland. This meant that only a few Sinti and Roma families were actually living in Switzerland. The ban on Romani people entering Switzerland was rescinded in 1972. Since 1936, the Swiss police collaborated to hunt for Romani people.

There are around 400 Sinti. They are Swiss citizens and often live with Yenish people.