The Yeniche, or Jenisch, are the third-largest population of nomadic people (or "Travelers") in Europe, living mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of France. They are some of the most geographically widespread in Western Europe. The term Yeniche generally refers to those living in France and Belgium, while Jenische refers to those in Germany. The Jenische have been concentrated mostly around the Rhineland, their language being a mixture of Romani, Yiddish, Rotwelsch, and various German dialects. The Yeniche are believed to have emigrated from German-speaking lands in the 18th century.
The Yeniche language is distinctly different from the Romany variants spoken by other populations of Roma. Mostly through important taboo systems, the Yeniche also differ culturally from Roma and are considered a different group, though they may fall under a more generic but often more loosely defined category of "Gypsy".
Until the 1970s, the Swiss 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 Swiss government has since officially apologized for these actions.
External links
