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The Holocaust
The Holocaust was a systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored program of persecution
and murder undertaken by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. Men, women
and children were taken from their homes and placed in ghettos and concentration
camps where they either perished or were subject to years of torture.
Who?
Over six million Jews were killed by the Nazis during World War II, in addition
to countless others including persons with disabilities, homosexuals, Gypsies,
Slavic peoples, Communists, Socialists, trade unionists, Jehovah's Witnesses
and others. Of the three million Holocaust survivors, 140,000 came to the United
States and 85,000 are still alive today.
In addition, the Nazis captured approximately 100,000 U.S. civilians and military
personnel, and about 1,500 died during their internment. Estimates place the
number alive today at around 35,000.
Efforts by, or on Behalf of, the Victims
Many European victims of atrocities in WWII received apologies and settlements
from those who claimed responsibility. The settlements include the genesis of
foundations and organizations that seek to shift funds from the German government
and other responsible parties to those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.
These settlements were arrived at through years of negotiations among corporations,
legislators and other individuals, and international negotiators and legal teams.
We have much to learn from the Holocaust settlements. The international committees
engaged in these efforts set a dignified and humane standard in seeking to heal
the wounds of people who have gone through unspeakable atrocities.
The Claims Conference
After the German government proclaimed responsibility in 1951 for compensation
and restitution to Jewish survivors of Nazism, the Conference on Jewish Material
Claims Against Germany was created to discuss the issue of negotiating terms
with Germany. The Claims Conference included representatives from Jewish organizations
and the State of Israel.
In 1952, West Germany signed agreements with the Claims Conference and the State
of Israel to provide compensation for hardships endured by Jewish victims due
to Nazi persecution, including:
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Compensation for injuries
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Restitution for property confiscated or destroyed
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Funds for relief, rehabilitation and resettlement
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Aid in rebuilding communities and institutions
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Over the last fifty years, the Claims Conference has
signed more than 25 agreements with government and industry in Germany and
Austria. The Conference maintains its compensation efforts today by negotiating
with representatives of those two countries, as well as with industry and
banks in those two nations and others. It also administers the resulting
compensation programs.
The Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation
The Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation's commitment was to remember
the victims who perished at the hands of the Nazis, accept German responsibility
for the Holocaust and respect the survivors still with us through modest but
significant payments. Overall, the mission is to reaffirm humanity's aspiration
for mutual understanding and justice.
The German settlement was based on four key elements:
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The "Initiative of German Enterprises," which
accepted historical responsibility and proposed establishing a foundation
to make payments to surviving forced laborers.
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A German financial commitment.
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An apology to the victims.
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An end to legal proceedings for German companies
in the United States for crimes committed in WWII.
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Other countries made similar arrangements, including the Austrian Reconciliation
Fund, the Austrian General Settlement Fund and the French Banks Supplemental
Fund.
P.O. Box 466 | Williamston, MI 48895
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