As I can remember, they were still travelling in their wagons in Poland in late 1950s and early 1960s, they were supporting themselves by making and selling copper products (mainly pots and pans) and fortune telling. However, their nomadic life style was outlawed in 1960s and they were more or less forced to settle. At the same time, the state supported the 'Roma culture" ie. a dance ensemble and a few token culturtal institutions.
They were not many of them visible, you could see mostly Gypsy women selling stuff in the markets (mostly south eastern part of the country) and fortune telling. Prejudice against them was quite nasty (e.g. parents disciplining their children by threatening to "sell them to the Gypsies"), but I did not notice any particular hostility. There was also some superficial fascination with their culture, especially in older quasi-bohemian circles.
However, after 1989 there was an influx of "Gypsies" from south eastern Europe - but It is hard to tell how many of them were actual Roma and how many of them were simply labeled as such because of their physical appearance. They were know for aggressive begging, suing their children as a "bait" -which a lot of people did not like.
My understaning is, however, that the problem is much bigger in Poland's southern neighbors, e.g. Slovakia
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3026353.stm
Wojtek