Ciganska je tuga pregolema: Difference between revisions

While its author remains unknown a vague timeline of events can be made from the song. The second verse is a direct reference to Operation Retribution in April of 1941. These supposed original lyrics mention of the deportation to the Marinkova Bara ghetto happened as early as October.<ref>Biljana Ristic. "[https://www.sbs.com.au/language/serbian/en/podcast-episode/on-this-day-nazi-bombing-of-belgrade/a8yyf3vbw On This Day: Nazi bombing of Belgrade]". SBS Serbian. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2024.</ref>  "In the morning around four/They knocked on every Gypsy's door" happened on the 29th, though there were mass arrests of Gypsies prior to the 29th. The arrival and subsequent liquidation of Gypsies in the Banjica camp happened as early as September.<ref name=":0">Milovan Pisari (2014). ''[https://www.cpi.rs/media/publications/The-Suffering-of-the-Roma-in-Serbia-during-the-Holocaust-e-book.pdf The Suffering of the Roma in Serbia During the Holocaust]''. Centar za primenjenu istoriju. Retrieved 29 April 2024.</ref> The mention of a "hot machine" refers to the crematoriums and was likely phrased as such for lyrical flow. The last stanza of the fifth verse indicates some sort of liberation of the camp, though Banjica wasn't liberated until 4 October 1944.<ref name=":1">Nemanja Mitrović. "[https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-58780131 Drugi svetski rat, zločini i Banjički logor: Nacistička kuća smrti za političke neprijatelje]". ''BBC''. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2024.</ref> This is contrary to the line "The Gypsies were also called to fight" as Gypsies had been accepted into Partisan units as early as 1941.<ref>Danijel Vojak (December 2020). "Roma Resistance in Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia during World War II". ''Re-thinking Roma Resistance Throughout History: Recounting Stories of Strength and Bravery. European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture''. ISBN 978-3-9822573-0-3 p. 51</ref> The last verse is indicative of the song being made post-war, though these verses could have also just been made to boost morale.  

While the 1968 film has nothing to do with World War 2, it contains an abridged version arranged by Vojislav Kostić and the film's director Aleksandar Petrović. Although brief this version is unique compared to the original as it mentions both Jews and Gypsies being targeted. The holocaust theming is toned down greatly, however. While the melody remains the same, its style is more akin to Romani music.

Together came Gypsy's and Jews

This version serves as the last track of the album and shares similarities in composition with the version heard in ''Biće skoro propast sveta''. Both versions were coincidentally published by the same company. While not an exact copy of the original version, it retains its holocaust theming. Any references to Nazi occupation is replaced with Ustaša. For example, "One morning, around four,/They [Nazis] knocked on every Gypsy's door" is changed to "One morning, at seven o' clock/The Ustashe knocked on the door". The lines that follow, "Wake up Gypsy, you don't belong here/Come to the camp where the mallet beats" is a reference to Gypsies being sent to labor camps.<ref>Ivana Nikolic. "[https://balkaninsight.com/2018/12/17/serbia-s-forgotten-role-in-the-roma-holocaust-12-14-2018/ Serbia’s Forgotten Role in the Roma Holocaust]". ''BalkanInsight''. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2024.</ref> Instead of Jews and Gypsies being targeted as heard in the 1969 version, it is replaced with Serbian and Gypsy children crying as men were usually the target of these programs.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Any mention of Partisans are omitted and instead has a bleak ending, with the Ustashe refusing to give bread to them.  

It is one of few albums made during the Yugoslav wars to reference the genocide of Gypsies.