Ceija Stojka

Ceija Stojka was a writer, painter, activist, and musician who left a powerful legacy after surviving the horrors of the Holocaust.

Biography of Ceija Stojka

Ceija Stojka was born in 1933 in Kraubath an der Mur in Austria. Her family belonged to the Lovara Roma, a Roman Catholic community. They faced unimaginable horrors during the Holocaust. Together, they endured internment in Auschwitz, Ravensbrück, and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. Sadly, Ceija's father was separated from the family and perished at Schloss Hartheim after being sent to Dachau.

Liberated by British forces in 1945 from Bergen-Belsen, Ceija, her mother, and sisters returned to Vienna. Despite the trauma she experienced, Stojka's resilience shone through as she began her schooling at the age of twelve, starting in the second grade.

Later, she made a living selling fabrics door-to-door and rugs at markets. Remarkably, she embarked on a new creative journey at the age of 56, taking up painting. Vienna became her home base as she pursued a multifaceted career as a writer, painter, singer, and public lecturer.

Ceija Stojka's voice extended beyond her own experiences. In 1992, she became a powerful advocate for the Roma and Sinti people, demanding recognition of the genocide they faced. She tirelessly fought against the ongoing discrimination Roma communities experienced throughout Europe.

Ceija Stojka passed away in Vienna in 2013, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, artistry, and activism.

Ceija Stojka's Art Style

Unconventional yet powerful, Ceija Stojka's artistic voice emerged at the age of 56. Her fingers and toothpicks became her tools, transforming everyday objects – cardboard, jars, postcards, salt dough – into powerful canvases.

Rooted in German Expressionism and folk art, Stojka's paintings explored a duality: the brutal reality of the death camps and the idyllic pre-war memories of her family's nomadic life. These contrasting themes became a signature element of her artistic legacy.

Her "light pictures" are vibrant memories, a testament to happy times before the war. They depict life in their wagons, the warmth of family, bustling markets, and the embrace of a lush, generous nature. These joyful scenes stand in stark contrast to her "dark pictures," which portray the horrors inflicted on the Roma under the Nazi regime. The "dark pictures" unflinchingly depict arrest, atrocities, the fight for survival, and eventual liberation.