Moji lidi – Hauer Jan (2024)

The story of the Sint family of Jan Hauer, dating back to the 18th century, introduces readers to a world that has nearly ceased to exist due to wartime genocide. Jan Hauer (1947-2022) was born to parents who lost their closest relatives, including their pre-war children, in concentration camps in Lety u Písku and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Together with his father, he searched for their fate, listened to the stories of the older generation, and later collected old family photographs and historical documents. The result of his long-term efforts is a rich personal archive, a unique photographic collection, and extensive genealogical knowledge about the families he considered his own, thus for the first time providing a kind of partially opened window inviting a glimpse into the community of Czech Sinti. Although Sint families have co-shaped the history of the Czech lands for several centuries and their historical roots firmly connect them to the countries of Central and Western Europe as well as overseas, their survivors have struggled greatly to restore their original lives against the backdrop of the new, communist Czechoslovakia. Therefore, the book 'My People' is not only a celebration of life and hope but also prompts reflection on the dark sides of Czech history.