Abstract
On the history of a Romani settlement in south-eastern Slovakia between 1920-1970's, the author analyses the negotiation of the implementation of central policies directed at the Roms at the local level across different state regimes, and the negotiation of local interethnic relationships between members of the local Romani minority and the Hungarian/Slovak majority. Concentrating on the actions of the local Roms vis-a-vis their forced resettlement from the local village in early 1930's and their strife to move back (fulfilled in late 1950's), the author highlights the Roms as active participants in the negotiation process subversing the object/victim narrative offten connected with the history of discrimination of this ethnic minority.
The author also argues for the revision of the interpretation of the central policies directed at "citizens of gypsy origin" in communist Czechoslovakia as emancipation/assimilation forced on the Roms - as the presented case study shows the central policies had also the potential to cut across local social hierarchies and allowed - in certain cases - to challenge the social borders and marginalising power relations.