Yeniche (people)
Encyclopedia
The Yeniche, or Jenische, are the third-largest population of nomad
ic people in Europe, living mostly in Germany
, Austria
, Switzerland
, and parts of France
. They are some of the most geographically widespread in Western Europe.
and Wallonia, while Jenische refers to those in Germany
, Austria
, the Netherlands
, Flanders
and Switzerland
. The Jenische have been concentrated mostly around the Rhineland
.
Mostly through important taboo
systems, the Yeniche also differ culturally and ethnically from the Roma and are considered a different group, though they may fall under a more generic but often more loosely defined category of Gypsy. They speak the Yeniche language
, and often claim to be descendents of the Celt
s. They live within extended families.
government had a semi-official policy of institutionalizing Yeniche parents as "mentally ill" and having their children be adopted by more "normal" Swiss citizens, in an effort to eliminate Yeniche culture. The name of this program was "Kinder der Landstraße" ("children of the highway"). 590 children were taken from their parents and institutionalized in orphanages, mental institutions and even prisons
Today 35,000 Jenische live in Switzerland, mostly concentrated around Graubünden
. Only about 5,000 of them currently live the traditional traveller lifestyle.
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic people in Europe, living mostly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and parts of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They are some of the most geographically widespread in Western Europe.
Culture
The term Yeniche generally refers to those living in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Wallonia, while Jenische refers to those in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The Jenische have been concentrated mostly around the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
.
Mostly through important taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
systems, the Yeniche also differ culturally and ethnically from the Roma and are considered a different group, though they may fall under a more generic but often more loosely defined category of Gypsy. They speak the Yeniche language
Yeniche language
The Yeniche language, or Jenisch, is a variety of German, spoken by the Yeniche, former nomads living mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of France.- Components :...
, and often claim to be descendents of the Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
s. They live within extended families.
Switzerland
Until the 1970s, the SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
government had a semi-official policy of institutionalizing Yeniche parents as "mentally ill" and having their children be adopted by more "normal" Swiss citizens, in an effort to eliminate Yeniche culture. The name of this program was "Kinder der Landstraße" ("children of the highway"). 590 children were taken from their parents and institutionalized in orphanages, mental institutions and even prisons
Today 35,000 Jenische live in Switzerland, mostly concentrated around Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
. Only about 5,000 of them currently live the traditional traveller lifestyle.
See also
- Yeniche languageYeniche languageThe Yeniche language, or Jenisch, is a variety of German, spoken by the Yeniche, former nomads living mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of France.- Components :...
- Indigenous Norwegian TravellersIndigenous Norwegian TravellersThe indigenous Norwegian Travellers are an ethnic minority group in Norway. They are a wandering people who once travelled by foot, with horse-drawn carts and with boats along the southern and southwestern coastline of Norway.-Names for the group:...
- Irish Travellers
- Romani people
- Scottish TravellersScottish TravellersScottish Travellers, or the people termed loosely Gypsies and Tinkers in Scotland, consist of a number of diverse, unrelated communities, with groups speaking a variety of different languages and holding to distinct customs, histories, and traditions...