The persecution of the Yenish people in Switzerland constitutes a crime against humanity. This was the conclusion of a legal opinion commissioned by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in February 2025. Between 1926 and 1973, more than 600 Yenish children were forcibly removed from their families by the “Children of the Road Aid” organization, ostensibly to rescue them from a life of hardship. “Children of the Road Aid” was an initiative of the Pro Juventud Foundation, implemented with the support of the authorities.
This groundbreaking legal opinion is the culmination of decades of struggle by victims, including Uschi Wasser. As a child, she was taken from her Yenish mother and raised in countless institutions, where she endured violence and humiliation. It wasn’t until she was over 30 that Uschi learned Pro Juventud was responsible for her traumatic childhood and adolescence. When she reviewed her files, she was devastated. In her book,
“Speaking Out to Avoid Being Suffocated,” the author uses her life story to highlight the systematic cruelty inflicted on families by the “Road Children” program and the lasting impact on those affected. At the same time, the book tells the story of a woman who tirelessly fights for rehabilitation and justice.
| Publisher | Rotpunkt verlag |
| Author | Sylvia Suess |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Publication Date | 12/02/2026 |
| Pages | 265 |
| Edition | first |
| Size | 14.53 x 2.34 x 21.67 cm |
| About the Author | Sylvia Suess, born in Bruges (AG) in 1976, studied social anthropology, journalism, and Spanish literature at the Universities of Bern and Fribourg. For eighteen years, she worked as a cultural editor for the newspaper "WOZ Die Wochenzeitung," where she wrote numerous reviews, articles, and reports, as well as conducting interviews. She also addressed the history of the "Road Children" program in several articles. Sylvia Suess lives with her family in Bern. |
| Publisher Address | info@rotpunktverlag.ch |
| ISBN | 978-3-03973-071-1، |
