Interview Date: July 4, 2025

Location: Athens, Greece

As part of the ROMDIEM oral history series, we spoke with Michalis Papantonopoulos, psychologist, scientific coordinator of the Adolescent Day Center and Psychosocial Intervention Program at “Ploes” (EPSYME), and PhD candidate in Social and Intercultural Psychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

This interview explored the psychological and social dimensions of Holocaust memory in Greece, with a special focus on Roma youth—their connection (or disconnection) to their history, and whether they know or want to know what truly happened.

We discussed intergenerational silence, identity development, and the importance of building historical memory in ways that empower and connect rather than isolate.

One of the most striking insights shared by Mr. Papantonopoulos was:

“Shouldn’t people be taught their history backwards?

Shouldn’t history start from the present and go back to the past—so they can realize they have more in common than what divides them?”

His words remind us that history is not just about remembering the past—it’s about shaping the present with empathy, self-awareness, and unity.

The full conversation, along with a deeper analysis, will be featured in the upcoming ROMDIEM materials. Follow the project’s pages on social networks and come join us on this “journey” of memory:

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