She is one of the most prominent Romani figures in (Czecho-) Slovakia: a journalist, writer, translator and advocate for the preservation and development of the Romani language; a co-founder of Romathan, the first professional Romani theatre; and the first female member of parliament representing the Romská občanská iniciativa or ROI (Romani Civic Initiative) after 1989.
Anna Koptová was born on November 7, 1953, in Slovenská Ves in the vicinity of Kežmarok. Her father, Gustáv Klempár, was a founding member of the Magura song-and-dance group in Kežmarok, and her mother spent most of her time at home, caring for her siblings. From early on, Anna devoted herself to reading books at the Kežmarok library. In the 1970s, having graduated from high school, she enrolled in the Department of Journalism at the Faculty of Arts of Comenius University. Upon completing her university studies, she returned to eastern Slovakia, to Košice, where she began working for the Východoslovenské noviny daily.
She was always eager to stay up to date on what was happening in the society. Information fascinated her, and when Dr. Ján Cibuľa sent her an invitation to the Second World Romani Congress, she did not hesitate for a minute to accept it.
She had no idea that this encounter would turn her life upside down and change it forever. When she returned home from Geneva, she was subjected to interrogations by State Security, and her entire family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances were persecuted by the regime. She was forced to leave Východoslovenské noviny, although she continued to work as a journalist. Milena Hubschmannová, an Indologist and Romani studies scholar, entered her life, and together they undertook many trips to Romani communities. Anna was never politically active during the communist regime. She was not a member of any communist party; she kept her distance, and for her, the only thing that mattered was the information she had at her disposal. Later, her life took another turn following the fall of the regime in 1989, when she was offered the opportunity to run for the Slovak Parliament on the VPN (Public Against Violence) party’s ticket as a candidate for the ROI (Roma Civic Initiative). She served there for two years and became the first Romani member of parliament. Anna Koptová is a co-founder of Romathan, the first professional Romani theatre. Today she is retired and, together with her daughter Martina Horňáková, she devotes her time to the Romani language, compiling additional Romani dictionaries and translating from and into Romani. Source: https://www.pribehy20storocia.sk/2025/01/30/anna-koptova-1953/
