The Senators’ bipartisan Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act mandated the creation and release of this report to assist in the return of or restitution for assets stolen in the Holocaust
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of State released a report on the state of restitution of Holocaust era assets. This report was required by legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act. It is the U.S. government’s first-ever comprehensive review of its kind and discusses the progress and challenges among certain European countries on the return of—or restitution for—wrongfully confiscated or transferred Holocaust-era assets.
The JUST Act requires the State Department to report on certain countries’ commitment to adopt national laws and policies to help Holocaust survivors and Jewish communities identify and reclaim their properties as part of their endorsement of the 2009 Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets. The JUST Act also requires the report to specifically include what actions those countries are taking to resolve the claims of U.S. citizens. Today’s report enhances U.S. efforts to urge Central and Eastern European countries to achieve progress on this issue, building on America’s commitment to ensuring justice for Holocaust victims and their families.
“This critical report details the important steps being taken toward justice, at long last, for Holocaust survivors and the families of Holocaust victims,” said Senator Baldwin. “These individuals have waited far too long to recover, or receive compensation for, what is rightfully theirs. By highlighting this issue as an American foreign policy priority and recognizing that there is still more work to do, we will spur further action in countries that are falling short of their obligations to bring about justice for Holocaust survivors, victims, and their families.”
“Restitution for those individuals whose property was seized during the Holocaust is long overdue. This important report details the progress of countries in meeting their commitments to Holocaust survivors and their families. We must continue to press our friends and allies in Europe and ensure survivors are provided the justice they deserve and are able to live out their days in dignity,” said Senator Rubio.
While the Holocaust was one of the most horrific atrocities in world history which resulted in the genocide of six million Jews, it was also one of the greatest organized thefts in history by the Third Reich and the Axis Powers. Large scale brutality and unprecedented looting of businesses, land, residences, and cultural/religious properties left Holocaust survivors and families of Holocaust victims with lost or stolen assets, in which they have never received proper restitution for.
The JUST Act built on the international Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets and Related Issues of 2009, which affirms that the protection of property rights is an essential component of a democratic society based on the rule of law and recognizes the importance of restituting or compensating Holocaust-related confiscations made during the Holocaust-era between 1933-45. Unfortunately, many nations that endorsed this declaration, including many of our NATO allies, have not fully addressed the restitution of Jewish communal, private and heirless property.
The JUST Act Report depicts what Central and Eastern European countries that have endorsed the Declaration have done, or still need to do, in order to serve justice to Holocaust survivors and the families of Holocaust victims. Key findings of this report include:
The report notes many positive trends worth highlighting, including:
The full report is available here.