Katarina Taikon (1932–1995)

The fourth part in Katarina "Katitzi" Taikon's semi-autobiographical series about a young Romani girl's youth in 1940's Sweden. This installment deals with the increasing abuse Katitzi suffers at the hands of her stepmother, a "gaji" (non-gypsy) woman, whose dreams of the "romantic" gypsy life made her marry Katitzi's father, but whose disappointment at the reality of a persecuted life has cased her to grow cold and mean. Because of the constant beatings, Katitzi runs away (not only through show more daydreams), and when she is returned, her brother forces her father to see how badly Katitzi is treated and her father lets Katitzi, her brother Paul and her sister Rosa leave the camp and go live on their own. It is poignant how far the abuse has to go before Paul finally threatens with the Police, since the constant mistreatment of the Romani people by the authorities has caused them to be extremely wary. Also, Paul knows that his father is not a Swedish citizen and that he is terrified of giving the authorities a reason to deport him from Sweden. Although a book written for children to battle prejudice and promote cultural understanding, everyone should read it, regardless of age. show less

The sixth part in Katarina "Katitzi" Taikon's semi-autobiographical series about a young Romani girl's youth in 1940's Sweden. Katitzi, Rosa, and Paul have returned to the large camp, since living on their own provides no advantage. Johan Taikon's application for Swedish citizenship is denied again and Katitzi returns to live with him to help out, even though it means returning to her abusive stepmother. Without Swedish citizenship during the war, the Taikons are not given ration cards and show more can not buy foods like meat or sugar, but have to find sustenance elsewhere and rely on the sometime kindness of strangers. Katitzi finds out that if people think she's a war refugee, they buy the Christmas cards she's selling to help her father, but if they know she's a Swedish gypsy girl, they ignore her or tell her the "Germans know how to handle people like you." No wonder her father assists the Jews - and the European Romani - by hiding resistance fighters in the camp. The book may be written for children to battle prejudice and promote cultural understanding, but everyone regardless of age should read it for historical and social purposes. show less

The tenth part in Katarina "Katitzi" Taikon's semi-autobiographical series about a young Romani girl's youth in 1940's Sweden. Although the war is over and Johan Taikon doesn't have to worry about being sent to the German concentration camps, prejudice against the Romani still persists. Katitzi loses her job, accused of a theft purely because she is a gypsy, and it's "well known that all gypsies steal." Staying home during the day puts Katitzi in the line of fire for her abusive stepmother, show more so Katitzi's father allows her marriage to go ahead, even though she is far too young, in order to get her away from harm. We get a view into Romani culture, especially how a wedding is planned and executed - the food, the dress, the dances, etc. Although she is hesitant about getting married, life with her stepmother is so unbearable that she feels any other life would be better and she resigns herself. The book may be written for children to battle prejudice and promote cultural understanding, but everyone regardless of age should read it for historical and social purposes. show less

The seventh part in Katarina "Katitzi" Taikon's semi-autobiographical series about a young Romani girl's youth in 1940's Sweden. Katitzi and her family are finally living in a house - drafty and old and rat-infested, but a house nonetheless. And the rest of the camp's members live around them. Johan Taikon is forced to go to hospital and Katitzi's stepmother goes to visit her gajé (non-gypsy) family, so in this installment of the series, Katitzi is free to wander and visit her friends, who show more are also outcasts. The story really shows the separation between "regular" people in society and those who stand apart. Nowadays, the gap (at least in Sweden) is minimized, but at this time, there was a vast chasm between your everyday Swede and the gypsies, drunks, and the poor. The book may be written for children to battle prejudice and promote cultural understanding, but everyone regardless of age should read it for historical and social purposes. show less