Elie Wiesel, Simon Wiesenthal, Romanies and the United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Although both the Romanies and the Jews shared a similar experience historically in western Europe and during the Holocaust, the Romanies have been largely excluded in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. In his books Elie Wiesel writes of anti-Semitism Jews experienced from other prisoners including the Romani and he may have blocked attempts to include them during his term as president of the Holocaust Memorial Council. Simon Wiesenthal attempted to have them included on the Council but only after Elie Wiesel's term as president ended was a Gypsy representative included in the Council. This exclusionist attitude is more American than European.