Gypsies in Germany and Italy 1861-1914: Lives Outside the Law

Jennifer Illuzzi’s account of the exclusionary policies in Germany and Italy at the turn of the 20th century links the rise of nationalism, liberalism, and the modern bureaucratic state to the exclusion of those labeled as Gypsies. The strength of the book lies in her ability to mobilize painstakingly researched stories of families and individuals to demonstrate how Gypsies became a stateless people. The book offers a new framework for addressing the pressing contemporary question of Roma discrimination, rooting it not in the exception of fascism, but liberal notions of equality before the law. By the eve of the First World War, being a “German” or “Italian” Gypsy was impossible. Being a Gypsy meant being outside the state and outside the law.