This is an essential timeline of the events related to the international dispute on the handling and recovering of the Holocaust assets, with a special focus on Switzerland. It is constantly updated.
Click here for more recent events
30.11.98 -- According to historian Bradford Snell, quoted in the Washington Post, survivors of WW2 have the intention of filing a lawsuit againt GM and Ford for their alleged role in rearming Germany. If Switzerland served Hitler as Hitler's banker, Ford and GM helped him invade Poland and the URSS, said Snell. In 1939, the two companies controlled 70% of the German auto market and, according to the paper, agreed to reconvert their factories for the production of warfare vehicles and planes, and even used forced labor. Both companies state that in December 41, after the declaration of war by America, they broke off relations with Germany, a fact which the paper is disputing. After the war, GM, which has "categorically denied" Snell's allegations, obtained $32 million as reimbursement for damages to their German affiliate.
30.11.98 -- At the Washington Conference, the Swiss representative announced that a meeting on the refugee policy during WW2 will be organised next year in Geneva and revealed that the Swiss governement will propose an international cooperation campaign to fight against racist propaganda and antisemitism on the Internet.
30.11.98 -- In an interview with the Financial Times, Lawrence Eagleburger, the former US Secretary of State, who chairs the new international commission on disputed insurance claims from the Holocaust era, said that he is fundamentally opposed to sanctions against insurers that have failed to join the settlement process. The State of New York has already enacted a Holocaust Victims Insurance Act that requires all insurers to cooperate with the state's investigations into unpaid insurances from WW2-era, or to face suspension of their licence.
30.11.98 -- The Washington Conference on Holocaust-era assets opens, co-hosted by the US State Department and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Until Thursday, December 3, the conference will build on work of last year's London Conference and explore solutions to the issue of Nazi-looted assets, particularly artworks, unpaid insurances, and community property. Delegations from 44 countries are attending.
25.11.98 -- Benjamin Netanyahu postponed his trip to Switzerland at the last minute pretexting internal political reasons. The same afternoon though he went to London, which made his excuse appear weak to the Swiss. Several observers and politicians mentioned the "slap" to the Swiss government, which for its part only commented that it was a shame that Netanyahu did not seize the opportunity of a visit to improve relations. The Swiss political parties as well as the Jewish community both commented that the government should not rush to renew an invitation to Netanyahu.
23.11.98 -- The State of Israel has published a "black list" of archives of countries and companies that have made difficult access to Holocaust documents. The list includes the Vatican archives, France's, Russia's, The Czech Republic's, Poland's, the archives of the British Secret Service MI-5 and of Italian company Assicurazioni Generali, and of serveral German companies.
21.11.98 -- UBS and Credit Suisse will transfer $250 million on Monday November 23, to a blocked bank account in the US. This is the first part of the global settlement sum of $1.25 billion negociated in August in New York. The amount will be blocked until a final agreement is signed, as to date the only document in existance is a transcript of the meeting where the agreement was found.
20.11.98 -- The Jewish organizations, the representatives of Holocaust's survivors and the Israeli governement have agreed upon a draft plan to distribute the settlement funds allocated by the Swiss banks under the terms defined last August. A spokesperson for the WJC confirmed that hundreds of thousands of Holocaust survivors or their descendants will receive financial and medical aid and that cultural and
educational projects will also be funded. The plan however, must still be approved by the New York court where the settlement was decided.
19.11.98 -- The Swiss Federal Office of Culture has written to 11 of Switzerland's largest art museums inviting them to research their collections thoroughly in order to make sure they do not include works of art that were looted during WW2.
18.11.98 -- According to trade paper Variety, the film project "Nazi Gold" which should have been filmed by Brian de Palma, then by Mick Jackson, has changed title as well as director. Tony Scott is apparently negociating to direct "Josiah's Canon". The film -- a very loose interpretation of the facts -- tells the story of a Holocaust survivor heading a group of robbers who are planning to break into a Swiss bank.
18.11.98 -- "Visas for life", an exhibition on the "saviors of the refugees" during WW2 (Raoul Wallenberg, Paul Grüninger, and many others) has opened in Bern until December 1st.
18.11.98 -- The arbitration court on heirless funds, a parallel institution to the Volcker Committee headquartered in Zurich, has announced that out of the 72 million francs of heirless funds in Swiss banks since 1945, 5.5 million have already been restituted to 84 legitimate owners. Per the first estimates, 10 to 20 per cent of the heirless assets are related to the Holocaust.
18.11.98 -- Next January, Switzerland will publish in the official government gazette and on the Internet the names of the 580 people whose non-claimed assets after WW2 were liquidated or given to charitable organizations in 1975 and 1979, the objective being to find the legitimate owners of these dormant accounts and pay them back.
17.11.98 -- Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rewarded several Israelis and Americans for their action against Swiss banks. The awards went to Edgar Bronfman, the WJC president, and its director Israel Singer; Avraham Burg, president of the Jewish Agency; Alan Hevesi, the New York comptroller; and Zwi Barak, deputy director of the WJRO. Two people didn't make the trip to Israel: senator Al D'Amato and undersecretary of State Stuart Eizenstat. Though Netanyahu stated that the Swiss government and president Flavio Cotti had positioned themselves responsibly with regard to the Holocaust assets issue, the awards ceremony created a controversy in Switzerland, where many people consider that Netanyahu was mocking the country by taking part in the ceremony after having denied his participation. The Swiss government nevertheless has decided to maintain Netanyahu's visit to Switzerland, scheduled November 25th. Flavio Cotti however will bring up "the feeling of irritation of the Swiss people" and the "difficulties" that have stressed the relationship between the two countries.
16.11.98 -- Tensions have arised between Swiss bankers and the Volcker Committee. The bankers are outraged that the Commission's work is being extended for another six months, until mid-99 and that the experts are going beyound the confines of their initial mandate, creating problems with confidentiality, complicating procedures and causing explosive expenses. The total cost of the Volcker group's work will reach nearly 1 billion Swiss francs according to estimates published by the press. 45 banks are presently in revision, 18 other banks have been added to the list. The publication of a third list of heirless funds is being considered.
15.11.98 -- According to taskforce leader Thomas Borer, after coming to a global solution with the banks, it is now time to consider the Holocaust under moral and philisophical terms. A "Center for Tolerance" will be created in Bern, an initiative of a Jewish group supported by Swiss citizens. A permanent exhibition and seminars will be held in the future center.
14.11.98 -- Over 200 young Swiss who came together for the "Parlementary Session for Youth" in Bern have published a declaration favour of the Swiss Solidarity Foundation.
12.11.98 -- A humanitarian fund of $90 million (124 million Swiss francs) was created in London in favor of the victims of the Holocaust by six european insurance companies, amongst which are Swiss companies Zurich, Baloise and Winterthur, French company Axa, Germany's Allianz and Italy's Generali.
11.11.98 -- Both ambassador Thomas Borer and the head of the historians' committee Jean-François Bergier will be representing Switzerland at the Washington conference end November. The Swiss government has asked them to favor a wide discussion on historical events so as to fully measure the international dimension of the issue.
10.11.98 -- Seventy-three art dealers and collectors established in Switzerland are on a list of 2000 people, published by the WJC who may have been dealing in art stolen by the nazis during WW2. The list includes citizens from Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Luxemburg, Sweden and Switzerland. The list was initially established by the OSS, predecessors to the CIA, in 1946, and has been found in US archives. It is the intention of the WJC, that the list constitute a basis for discussion during the upcoming Washington conference on looted assets.
10.11.98 -- For the first time, a member of the Swiss Parliament could be prosecuted for anti-semitism. The judiciary affairs committee of the National Council has recommanded the lifting of parliamentary immunity of nationalist member Rudolf Keller, for violating the Swiss anti-racist law. The complaint was filed against Keller following a statement released by his party (of which he is president) accusing "American and Jewish organisations" of wanting to "extort money" from Switzerland and calling for a boycott of "all merchandise, restaurants and American and Jewish travel destinations".
7.11.98 -- In a letter to Niklaus Blattner, CEO of the Swiss Bankers Association, the president of the Committee of Eminent Persons, Paul Volcker, has announced that the committee's investigations, originally planned to come to an end by December 1998, will be extended at least until the second quarter of 1999.
5.11.98 -- Latent anti-Semitism is on the rise in Switzerland in a reaction to the scrutiny of the country's wartime role, a Government commission reported. The yearlong study by the Federal Commission against Racism found that people have been less inhibited in expressing racist views since Switzerland's role during WW2 has been an issue. Recent comments by some high-ranking politicians had given anti-semitism a "patina of social acceptability", the 72-pages report reads.
4.11.98 -- The honorary president of the Israeli community in Zurich, Sigi Feigel has written a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu demanding explanations on Israel's intent to honor on November 17 several Americans with regard to their role in the heirless funds issue and the global settlement agreement, amongst which are Al D'Amato and Edgar Bronfman. Both of these men have "seriously hurt" the feelings of part of the Swiss population while negociating, making false and intolerable accusations against Switzerland, wrote Feigel. Notanyahu is expected to travel to Switzerland November 25.
3.11.98 -- US Senator Al D'Amato, who had been a leading player in ferociously attacking Switzerland and Swiss banks with regard to the Holocaust assets' issue, has been ousted by Democrat representative Charles Schumer in the elections to the US Senate in New York. D'Amato, a Republican, had been in office since 1980. Interviews with voters leaving the polls found that D'Amato received support from only 1 out of 4 Jewish voters. According to the New York Times this figure suggests that D'Amato has been hurt by his decision to enlist Holocaust survivors to attack Schumer's record on Jewish issues. Another leading figure in the Holocaust assets controversy, California treasurer Matt Fong, lost his bid for a Senate seat.
2.11.98 -- The decision of the Federal Council to publish the list of 51'000 refugees admitted into Switzerland during WW2 is creating a controversy. Members of leftist parties are fearful of this being turned into a PR campaign whereas others are demanding the publishing of a second list, the one of refugees turned back at the border. Swiss Federal Archives estimate their number at 24'000.
22.10.98 -- The president of the independant historians' commission, Jean-François Bergier has confirmed that he is "not expecting" much out of the conference that will take place at the end of November in Washington on looted nazi gold. "It's a free-for-all that leaves no room for discussion - we will be present though" he stated during a conference in Lausanne.
22.10.98 -- According to historian Stefan Keller, the Swiss national Maurice Bavaud was killed by nazis in 1941 after being accused of attempting to assassinate Hitler three years before also based on informations sent to the Gestapo by the Swiss federal police indicating that Bavaud was part of a conspiracy. Keller is conducting research for the Committee to rehabilitate Bavaud.
20.10.98 -- A commission of historians set up by the Austrian Postal Bank has published a report identifying more than 7000 dormant personal and business accounts held by Jews who had to leave Austria or were deported during the nazi era. These accounts (which at current value totalled approx. $200'000) were looted by the nazis. Partial repayments were already done in 1968; the bank says now it is prepared to make repayments of the revalued balances of these accounts.
15.10.98 -- Two Austrian and several German companies have been sued for the use of slave labor during WW2. The lawsuits were filed in New York by the firm of Fagan & D'Avino.
13.10.98 -- According to press reports, Holocaust victim's lawyer Edward Fagan is rumored to have demanded $250 million to the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) as his billing fee. This represents 20% of the total amount of $1.25 billion that the Swiss banks will pay out to the Holocaust victims according to the New York agreement. In an interview with the Swiss national radio Fagan denied the sum but would not reveal what his billing fee would be.
9.10.98 -- The Federal Council has announced that it will publish by mid-1999 the list of names of 51'000 refugees (28'000 of which were Jewish) admitted into Switzerland during World War II.
6.10.98 -- While presenting his book "Target Switzerland" in Bern, American historian and lawyer Stephen Halbrook denounced the "media frenzy" upon Switzerland in the last two years. A small group of politicians and media people spread propaganda about Satan-like Switzerland, he said. The book describes Switzerland during WW2 as a model democracy who resisted Nazim heroically. The author was regretful that the global agreement could be interpreted as guilty acknowledgment of Nazi collaboration.
27.9.98 -- A group of Swiss citizens led by millionaire Martin Burckhardt of Basle filed a lawsuit against Jean Ziegler, author and a socialist member of the Swiss parliament, for having harmed Switzerland's security and independance (according to article 266 of the Swiss penal code, they say) following the publishing of his book on Switzerland's WW2 era and his testimony during the hearing organised in Washington by Senator d'Amato earlier this year.
26.9.98 -- The "Taskforce on Lived History", an informal group which is made up of former ambassadors and Swiss military officials, has attacked the Bergier Commission, denouncing the "preconceived judgements" of its report which is "obviously harmful" to Switzerland. "Stop trying to make us feel guilty and strip-teasing history", stated the group, emphasizing that no member on the commission lived through the war personally and asking for a change in its composition.
25.9.98 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the Swiss government's request for clarification, by confirming the solid friendship between Switzerland and Israel stating it has even become stronger this past year. In this manner, Netanyahu has washed aside the ambiguities created by his recent letter send to WJC's president Edgar Bronfman, congratulating him on his role in the Holocaust assets issue. The visit to Israel by one of the highest Swiss military officials which had been questioned, has now been confirmed and will take place in the next few days.
25.9.98 -- According to an intermediate report, the Volcker Commission's search activities to locate heirless funds in Swiss banks will cost approximately 150 million francs. Presently, 420 controllers are operating in 45 banks, and should be operating in additional 17 banks shortly. The cost of this operation will be paid by the banks themselves.
22.9.98 -- According to a survey published by the Financial Times, 42% of Swiss people are in favor of the selling of a part of the National Bank's gold reserves to finance the Swiss Solidarity Foundation. 40% is against it, 18% have expressed no opionion. 1009 people were surveyed by the Swiss pollster GFS.
20.9.98 -- The Swiss Ministery for Foreign Affairs has requested explanations from Israel's government about a praising letter sent by Prime Minister Netanyahu to WJC's president Edgar Bronfman. Revealed by a Swiss newspaper, the letter compliments Bronfman's role in the heirless funds issue. The Swiss are surprised because during a recent visit to Israel by Swiss president Flavio Cotti, Netanyahu had distanced himself from WJC's aggressive positions in the controversy.
20.9.98 -- UBS and Credit Suisse have drafted a detailed version of the global agreement on heirless funds. It will be presented to the plaintiffs in the next few days, and they are in charge of figuring out the plan to distribute the money paid out by the banks. According to the director of the WJC, Elan Steinberg, the WJC and the Israeli government are considering a distribution formula that would take into consideration at least three different types of beneficiaries. The first category would be the victims or heirs of the victims who have claims on bank accounts opened in Switzerland (totally between 70 and 100 million francs). The second category would compensate victims who lost material goods due to nazi spoliation. The third group, would be made up of people not necessarily victims of the Holocaust; under this scheme a "Fund for the Jewish People" which would be managed by the WJC and the Israeli government would finance humanitarian and educational projects. Paying the lawyers fee is still an open question.
17.9.98 -- Contrary to what was stipulated in the agreement of August, all the class action lawsuits filed against Swiss banks have not been withdrawn yet. The suit against the SNB for instance is still active. Michael Hausfeld, the lawyer who filed the complaint, has confirmed it will be withdrawn when the agreement is finalized.
17.9.98 -- A group of American Holocaust survivors have said they will refuse the agreement on the $1.25 billion which will be paid out by the Swiss banks, unless at least 70% of this amount be paid out directly to Holocaust survivors.
15.9.98 -- A collaborator of the Volcker Commission has been questioned at the Swiss-Italian border by custom officials in June, for carrying in his briefcase bank documents which should not have been taked out of Switzerland. The episode did not have any legal implications but the collaborator was fired.
15.9.98 -- Representatives of the socialist and radical political parties, the employers associations and the workers' unions have requested further delay for the consultation procedure with regard to the creation of a Swiss Solidarity Foundation, which was supposed to conclude today.
14.9.98 -- The heirless funds in Swiss banks belonging to Holocaust victims reach 72 million francs, according to a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs. He bases this number on an independent study.
14.9.98 -- An International commission in charge of settling the insurance policies issue with regard to the Holocaust victims has been set up by representatives of European insurance companies, the United States' surveillance authorities, Israel, and Jewish organizations. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) foresee a 13-members commission president by a non-partisan personality. It will be made up of 6 representatives of insurance companies. The WJRO, the Israeli and US authorities will split the remaining six seats. Former US Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger is mentioned as potential president. The MoU contains provisions for having the sanction procedures and the class-action lawsuits against the insurance companies lifted.
13.9.98 -- According to the Sunday press in Switzerland, the president of the Volcker Commission, Paul Volcker, is considering resigning after the global settlement reached in New York. He didn't comment.
11.9.98 -- Bureaucracy and power struggles are impeding the distribution in Israel of the money of the special Swiss fund for Holocaust victims. The "Israelitische Wochenblatt", a jewish Swiss paper, reports that the WJRO, responsible for the distribution has made plans in several countries but not yet in Israel (where 60 000 Holocaust survivors and potential beneficiaires are living). The newspaper reports that several Israeli institutions are fighting over the right to manage and distribute the money.
11.9.98 -- Volkswagen has created a compensation fund of DM 20 million to beenfit forced laborers employed by the German company during the nazi era. Between 15 000 and 20 000 workers were exploited by Volkswagen during WW2, amongst which were about 1500 jews.
10.9.98 -- Film director Steven Spielberg staged the world premiere of his educational CD-Rom on the Holocaust, which features "living memories" of elderly Jewish survivors, at a German high school in Berlin. The American director of "Schindler's List" received the Federal Cross of Merit from German president Roman Herzog for his work to preserve the memory of the Holocaust through the Shoah Visual History Foundation.
7.9.98 -- Jacques Rossier, the president of the Foundation Genève Place Financière, told the press that the Geneva private bankers are reluctant to participate financially in the global settlement between the commercial Swiss banks and the Holocaust survivors.
3.9.98 -- According to Swiss Holocaust Taskforce leader Thomas Borer, the global settlement between banks and Holocaust survivors opens up the perspective of the end of the financial controversy surrounding the Holocaust assets. Now under less pressure, Switzerland must now examine its past and work on re-establishing its good reputation with the US, he added.
2.9.98 -- Georg Krayer, the president of the Swiss Bankers Association, told the press that it is very unlikely that the research undertaken by the Volcker Commission will bring up heirless bank accounts for an amount significantly higher that the 67 million francs already discovered. The Volcker report is due in 1999 and "will definitely put to red the theory that there are billions of dollars sleeping in Swiss bank vaults", Krayer said.
2.9.98 -- Survivors of the Holocaust, their lawyers and representatives of the Jewish organizations in New York have discussed how to distribute the $1.25 billion which will be paid out by the Swiss banks. The full payment installment plan will only be ready in a year, declared the lawyers. The committee is considering informing the interested parties by way of the press, through Jewish organizations and synagogues and by holding public meetings around the world. The distribution plan will have to be submitted for approval to judge Ed Korman.
Previous events
