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Historical Commissions on Holocaust-Era Assets Argentina Comision para el Esclarecimiento de las actividades del nazismo en la Republica Argentina (CEANA) Commission of Enquiry into the Activities of Nazism in Argentina (CEANA) Guido Di Tella, President (Foreign Minister of Argentina) Created May 6, 1997 by President Menem. CEANA's International Panel is made up of seventeen persons, including among others Marcos Aguinis, a former Alfonisn administration Secretary of Culture; Adolfo Gass, a former Radical Party lawmaker and current vice president of Argentina's Permanent Assembly for Human Rights; Sir Sigmund Sternberg, chairman of the Internatioanl Council of Christians and Jews; Lord Dahrendorf, a former warden of St. Antony's College, Oxford; and the World Jewish Congress' Edgar Bronfman. Ignacio Klich serves as the Academic Coordinator of CEANA. At present ten research units are at work on the following topics:
Final reports of all research units are expected by 30 June 1999. Fuurther information may be found at the website of the Commission at http://www.ceana.org.ar. Austria Kommission Provenienzforschung Commission for the Investigation of Provenance of Art Objects of the Federal Ministry for Education and Culture of Austria Federal Ministry for Education and Culture On March 13, 1998 the first meeting of the Kommission Provenienzforschung [Commission for the Investigation of Provenance of Art Objects] in Austrian Federal Museums, set up by the Minister of Culture Elisabeth Gehrer, took place. Members of this Commission are representatives from all relevant Federal museums, the Austrian National Library, and the Federal Memorial Office. Professor Ernst Bacher, General Curator of the Federal Memorial Office, is responsible for the coordination of scholarly research. The objective of the first meeting was the organizational structure of the research to be done and an overview of the status of current research on provenance in the respective institutions. In addition, the time frame was fixed: the main emphasis will be on those art objects whose provenance in the period from 1938 to 1960 is uncertain. A work schedule was established, and it was resolved to set up a clearing-house. The task of this office, which will be established outside of the Federal Museums and the Ministry, will be to serve as a place of contact between requests from the outside and the experts of the team. Measures for increased and intensified research and their costs will be ascertained. For questions which go beyond the direct research, external experts will be consulted according to demand. The scientific coordinator, Dr. Bacher, has been instructed to report to the Minister on a regular basis about the progress of the Commission's work. For further information on the Kommission or its activities, contact: Members of Kommission Provenienzforschung include the following:
Belgium Commission d'étude sur le sort des biens des membres de la Communauté juive de Belgique spoliés ou délaissés pendant la guerre 1940 - 1945 or Studiecommissie betreffende het lot van de bezittingen van de leden van de Joodse Gemeenschap van Belgie, geplundert of achtergelaten tijdens de oorlog 1940 - 1945 Rue de la Loi/Westraat 16 The study "Commission into the fate of the assets of the members of the Jewish Community of Belgium that were despoiled or surrendered during World War II" has been established by Royal Decree on July 6, 1997 for a two year period. This Commission consists of a Chairman, Mr. Lucien Buysse, Honorary Grand Marshal, who has succeeded Baron Godeaux, and twelve members designated by Royal Decree. This study commission has been entrusted with investigating the spoliation and forced surrenders of assets belonging to members of the Jewish Community of Belgium without distinction on grounds of nationality, as well as their consequences. The Commission has a twofold objective:
On the basis of the contacts already established (hearings, attendance at international conferences, contacts with the banking and insurance sectors, etc.) the Commission has thus initiated:
At the end of its proceedings the Commission will present a report with its conclusions and recommendations to the Government. The competent governmental authorities will decide and adopt practical measures. Croatia Commission for Investigating Historical Facts on the Fate of Property of Victims of Nazism The Government of the Republic of Croatia established the Commission for Investigating Historical Facts on the Fate of Property of the Victims of Nazism on November 6, 1997. The following are the members of the Commission: Mrs. Snjezana Bagic R. Austrije, 14 Zagreb tel. 3851/3710-610, fax 3710-612 Mrs. Ljerka Alajbeg Trg. N. S. Zrinjskog 7-8 Zagreb tel. 3851/4569-934, fax 4569-936 Dr. Josip Kolanovic Marulicev trg. 21 Zagreb tel. 3851/424144, 4801-999, fax 4829-000 Ms. Branka Grabovac Ms. Ivana Halle Mrs. Jadranka Granic Dr. Melita Svob Dr. Mirko Valentic Mr. Zeljko Sacic Estonia Statement by the International Commission for Investigation of Crimes against Humanity on January 27, 1999, Tallinn (Edited version of the text) The International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes against Humanity, established by Mr. Lennart Meri, President of the Republic of Estonia, held its first session on January 26-27, 1999, in Tallinn. President Meri added that the commission is not and does not intend to act as a judicial or prosecutorial body. Its members are not judges and do not intend to act as such. They are not trying to compile a set of facts in order to launch judicial actions against anyone or any institution, either here in Estonia or elsewhere. The Commission decided that the investigation would focus on crimes against humanity committed during three distinct historical periods:
The Commission instructed two teams of historians to gather all available documentary material and interview possible witnesses. In addition to the investigation of crimes against humanity, the Commission also decided that a summary of the historical context of the events under investigation should be prepared. The Commission decided to hold its next session on June 7, 1999. France Mission d'études sur la spoliation des Juifs de France Eliane Chamia, Rapporteur général On January 25, 1997, the Prime Minister, at the time Alain Juppé, announced the establishment of a "working party to look into the circumstances under which movable and immovable property belonging to Jews living in France was confiscated or, generally speaking, acquired by fraud, violence or deceit, either by the occupying power or the Vichy authorities, between 1940 and 1944." To this end, a working party was set up on March 25, 1997 by order of the Prime Minister who appointed M. Jean Matteoli, Chairman of the Economic and Social Council, as its chairman. Working with him are a vice-chairman and six other members from a variety of professional backgrounds. Confirmed by M. Lionel Jospin, the working party's mission is
For a French version of the Matteoli Commission's interim report released in January, 1998, please see: http://www.admifrance.gouv.fr/cgi-bin/multitel/CATALDOC/frame_generique?gauche=g_somMR&principal=texte_generique&p1=repertoire&val1=rapports&p2=fichier&val2=matteoli.htm&MID=IEOIe10uOBM A brief summary of the report, also in French, can be accessed under: http://www.cyberj.com/crif/commissi.htm Israel Committee for the Restitution of Jewish Property c/o Knesset Italy The Italian Commission investigating the economic aspects of the race law period in Italy assumed its operations on 17 December 1998. The Commission is presided by the Hon. Tina Anselmi (a member of the Lower Chamber and a former member of the Government) and will complete its work by 16 June 2000. The Commission is composed of representatives from government, banking and management associations, national archives, historians and Italy's Jewish communities. Commission to Reconstruct the Events in Italy Related to the Acquisition of Properties from Jewish Citizens by Public and Private Concerns Press Conference of 16 June 1999 Activities conducted by the Commission during its First Semester of Operation. Once seated (17 December 1998) the Commission began to lay out its activities; it was resolved to contact those public agencies most likely to possess documents with information pertinent to reconstructing the acquisition of properties from citizens declared Jewish during the period the race law was in force. 1) Work Conducted
In concluding these essential preliminary remarks, mention should be made of the professionalism demonstrated as a rule by the directors and staff of the National Archives, who were responsible for a significant portion of the documentation research.
Thus all the civilian and police law enforcement offices (Prefetture and Questure) as well as the National Archives and branch headquarters (Soprintendenze) for archival records and historic and artistic properties throughout Italian territory were assigned to research pertinent documentation, including any related to art works. The table below lists the number of responses received from the above offices.
(*) Only the archival, environmental, architectural and other Soprintendenze of Italian territories during the Italian Social Republic or making up part of the territory under direct German administration in the Prealpine Zone (Belluno, Bolzano and Trento) and the Adriatic Littoral(otherwise known as the Giulia-Dalmatian provinces) were involved Below is a summary table of citizens residing in Italy declared to be of "Jewish race" under Fascist legislation
(*) NB The data in question are approximations and reflect the regions of central and northern Italy with respect to the movement of the war front The total number deported from Italy was 6,746; 5,916 were killed. An additional 303 Jews died m the peninsula, in slaughters, individual killings or by other causes. There were also 1,820 Jews deported from Italian territories of the Dodecanese, of which 1,641 were killed A total of 1,009 survived (179 of origin from the Aegean Islands). There were deportations to the following camps: Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen Buchenwald, Dachau, Flossenburg, Mauthausen and Ravensbruck. 2) Government departments and public agencies involved in enforcing the Race Law. 3) Clamp Down of the Race Law 3.1 The foregoing legislative decree worsened the persecution (all the more in the northeast zone where the Germans had legislative autonomy), picking up speed and increasing infamy. It resulted in the issue of more than a thousand seizure and/or confiscation decrees, most of which were published in the Official Gazette of Italy (Official Gazette of the Italian Social Republic), although documentation. from the Ministry of Finance Jewish Property Office in particular, revealed 7.500 files on "Jewish properties" and their management, eventual liquidation and/or restitution. It should be noted that banking and insurance institutions operating in those territories were by law involved in appropriations of this kind. To gather more information on these events, there was consultation with the State National Archives, the Record Archives of the Bank of Italy, the Chamber of Deputies, as well as the central offices of the Ministries of the Interior, of Foreign Affairs, of Public Education (former National Education), of the Treasury (to identify capital investments while the law in question was in force), Finance (Real Property Assessments Office and Real Estate Registries), and the Center for Contemporary Jewish Documentation, Confindustria, the INA and the National Historical Institute of the Liberation Movement in Italy, together with numerous historical archives of local public administrations of central and northern Italy that had, in terms of numbers, the largest Jewish communities. 3.2 In order to more thoroughly pursue its task, the Commission acquired literature dealing with the persecution episode, making particular use of specialized monographs of the kind listed below. Fargion, Liliana Picciotto. Il Libro della Memoria. Gli ebrei deportati dall'Italia (1943-45). [The Book of Memories. Jews Deported from Italy (1943-1945] Milan Mursia, 1991. Italian Israelite Community, ed Le leggi contro gli ebrei. [Anti Jewish Legislation] Vol LIV No. 1-2 La Rassegna mensile di Israele, January-August 1988 Broggini, Renata La frontiera della speranza Gli ebrei dall'Italia verso la Svizzera 1943-45. [The Frontiers of Hope Jews from Italy into Switzerland 1943-45] Milan Mondadori, 1998 Levi, Fabio Le case e le cose. La persecuzione degli ebrei torinesi nelle carte dell'EGELI 1938-1945 [Homes and Possessions The Persecution of Turin's Jews Reflected in the Land Registries 1938-1945] Turin Compagnia San Paolo, Quaderni dell'Archivio storico, June 1998. 3.3 A different situation is that of the provinces of Belluno, Bolzano and Trento (a k a the Prealpine Zones) and the Giulia-Dalmatian provinces of Trieste, Gorizia, Udine, Fiume, Zara, Pola (a k a the Adriatic Littoral Zone) under direct German control of the III Reich, where the German authorities strictly enforced the Nazi Socialist anti-Jewish legislation, using not only their own police forces but also the Italian ones located there, as well as the state and local administrations of those provinces. 4) Private Entities Equally Involved in Enforcing the Race Law 5) Reparations Legislation 6) Conclusions Norway was the first to do so, naming a 7-member bilateral commission on 29 March 1996, which consigned to the Government its final report on 23 June 1997. Other countries established similar commissions, including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA, Paraguay and Uruguay. Despite the promulgation of reparation laws from the immediate postwar up to very recent times (Law 233/1997), in Italy it was believed that properties of a certain value had never been returned to their rightful owners or their heirs and remained instead in other hands (cf: Morroni, Furio Oro di Razza [Pure Gold] Rome: Il Mondo 3 Edizioni, 1997, Levi, Fabio. Le case e le cose La persecuzione degli ebrei torinesi nelle carte dell'EGELI 1938-1945. [Homes and Possessions The Persecution of Turin's Jews Reflected in the Land Registries 1938-I945] Turin Compagnia San Paolo, Quaderni dell'Archivio storico, June 1998.) This led the Italian Union of Jewish Communities to request that a Commission be established, as had been done by other countries, to seek information, not only from the Ente Gestione e Liquidazione Immobiliare [Real Estate Management and Liquidation Agency] (EGELI) but also from provincial and central .State archives, ministerial archives, banks (accounts, files, security vaults), Gazettes, the national Library, etc. about the real estate and personal properties that had been dispossessed from Jews following the race laws of 1938 and confiscated or seized after 8 September 1943 in the Social Republic It should be kept in mind that pursuant to Law 233 of 18 July 1997, the Italian State delivered to the Jewish community of Trieste objects in the possession of the Ministry of the Treasury that had been confiscated by the German Authorities from Jews and persons considered to be Jewish. Said law (article 2) establishes that "the properties that because of racial persecution were stripped from Jewish citizens or persons considered Jewish, which could not be returned because their rightful owners are deceased or neither they nor their hers can be located and which are still in the custody or possession of the Italian state under any title, are consigned to the Union of Jewish Communities that will provide to distribute them to the individual communities based on the origin of the goods and the locations where the dispossession took place". The Commission acquired the documentation of the work conducted by their Norwegian and French counterparts. It was found that many of the commissions reported above requested postponements to conclude their work, as did the Italian Commission, which was given a one year extension, until 17 June 1999, to complete its investigation. 7) Accomplishment of the Commission's Activities In brief
From this perspective, a special importance will be assumed by. examination of the earlier cited approximately 7,500 files of the Ministry of Finance Jewish Properties Office on deposit at the Central State Archives in Rome; elaboration of the data from the two ABI and ANIA investigations; completion of the examination of the many documents already received or to be received, consultation of other data sources; preparation of area-specific monographs; hearings with representatives from reputable agencies, similar to the one recently had with a delegation from "Assicurazioni Generali" for a preparatory inquiry into insurance-related matters. Latvia The Commission of History Foreign Members Carl Bildt - co-chairman of the Commission of Historiens of Latvia Chairman of the Moderate Party Erwin Oberländer Norman M. Naimark Alfred Erich Senn Krister Wahlbäck Professor Abraham H. Foxman Alain Besangon George Schwab Latvian Members Andris Caune - Chairman. Member of Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS); Dr. habil. hist.; Professor; Director of the Institute of History of Latvia, University of Latvia; fax + 371-7225044. Valdis Bcrziòd. Full member of LAS; Dr. habil. hist.; Professor; Head of Department; Institute of History of Latvia, University of Latvia; fax + 371-7225044. Inesis Feldmanis. Dr. habil. hist.; Professor; Head of Chair, Department of History and Philosophy, University of Latvia; phone +371-7283734. Armands Gutmanis. Advisor of Foreign Affairs to the President of Latvia; Dr. phil., phone +371 7092109, fax +371 7325800 Criks Jckabsons. Dr. hist.; Head of Department, State Historical Archives of Latvia. Karlis Kangeris. Historian, Department of Baltic Studies, University of Stockholm. Daina Kïaviòa. Historian. Director, State Archives of Latvia. Valters Nollendorfs. Foreign member of LAS; PH.D., Professor Emeritus from University Madison Wisconsin; Chairman of Board of the Museum of Occupation, Riga. Aivars Stranga. Corr. Member of LAS; Dr. habil. hist.; Professor; Head of Chair, Department of History and Philosophy, University of Latvia. Heinrich Strods. Hon. Member of LAS; Dr. habil. hist.; Professor Emeritus; Department of History and Philosophy, University of Latvia. Vilnis Zariòô. Corr. Member of LAS; Dr. habil. phil., Researcher, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, University of Latvia.
Statement by the Commission of Historians On the Remembrance Day of Latvian Soldiers The 16th March, the Remembrance Day of Latvian Soldiers is approaching. Contradictory views have already been voiced on this subject in Latvia's society. Thus the Commission deems it necessary to declare that: 1. On 23rd August 1939 the USSR and Germany concluded the non-aggression pact, an irretrievable part of which was the criminal secret protocol. This treaty paved the way for the IT World War, Germany's and USSR's aggression against Poland, the fourth division of Poland, the Soviet aggression against Finland and the occupation and annexation of the Baltic States in summer of 1940. The occupation of Latvia in 1940 de facto crushed the independence of the state. The occupant power launched ruthless terror against the citizens of Latvia. On 14th 3uly 1941 alone 14 194 citizens of Latvia: Latvians, 3ews, Russians, Germans, etc. were deported from Latvia. A large part of the administration staff of the state and top officers of army were physically eliminated. The forcible incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union was never recognised by the free world. The Partnership Charter that was signed by the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Lithuania and the United States of America on 16th 3anuary 1998, emphasizes: "The United States of America never recognised the forcible incorporation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into the USSR in 1940 but rather regards their statehood as uninterrupted since the establishment of their independence, a policy which the United States has restated continuously for five decades". 2. In July 1941 another occupant - Nazi Germany - came in place of the Soviet occupation and launched in Latvia a new wave of terror in which approximately 80 000 citizens of Latvia perished, among them almost all Jews remaining in Latvia, more than 10 000 Latvians and Latvia's citizens of other nationalities. A Latvian unit recruited by occupants specially for this purpose also took part in the annihilation of Jews that was planned and carried out by Nazi Germany. The State of Latvia, the independence of which was de facto crushed on 17th 3uly 1940 as a result of the Soviet aggression, is not responsible for the horrible crimes that were committed during the Soviet and Nazi occupations. 3. In 1943 as Germany's defeat drew closer, the Nazi occupation authorities, breaking international conventions, mobilised a large number of the citizens of occupied Latvia in German army. The so-called local authority which was established under German auspices, helped to carry out this criminal decision of Nazi Germany. The other occupant, the Soviet Union, and its collaborators committed the same violation of international conventions. In total the occupation powers mobilised in their armies approximately 250 000 Latvia's citizens of all nationalities about ~00 000 of whom were killed on battlefields. The Baltic States were the only victims of the Second World War whose independence even to a limited degree was not restored after the War. 4. The Central Council of Latvia (LCC) established underground during the occupation of Nazi Germany and headed by professor Konstantîns Èakste was the only institution consistently committed to the restoration of the independent democratic Latvia of 18th November 1918. The Central Council of Latvia was oriented towards the political values of the democratic participants of the II World War - the USA and the UK. The Commission of Historians calls on Latvia's society to pay greater attention to the preservation of memory of LCC. 5. The Commission recommends on 16th March to remember the tragic destiny of Latvia and the people of Latvia under both occupation regimes. Since the free independent State of Latvia that was restored on 21st August 1991 continues the democratic Republic of 18th November 1918 and also taking into account the stipulation in the Constitution that Latvia is the State of the people of Latvia, the Commission of Historians considers the 11th November, Lâèpcsis day, as the most suitable day for commemoration. On this day in 1919 citizens of Latvia of Latvian and other nationalities suffering great losses defeated the German and Russian troops led by Bermont and later freed all Latvia from Bolsheviks. The soldiers of Latvia with extraordinary courage fought for the great values - for independent, democratic Latvia. Under their own red-white-red flag led by their own officers they fought for their own state. They received military support from the UK and France. Victory over Bermont safeguarded our greatest gain - free, democratic Latvia. The Commission of Historians: Andris Caune - Member of Academy of Sciences, Dr.habil.hist., professor, Director of the Institute of History, the University of Latvia, Valdis Bcrziòô - Member of Academy of Sciences, Dr.habil.hist., professor, head of department of the Institute of History, the University of Latvia, Inesis Feldmanis - Dr. habil.hist., professor, head of department of Faculty of History and Philosophy, the University of Latvia, Armands Gutmanis - Dr.philol., Foreign Policy adviser to the President of Latvia, Criks Jckabsons - Dr.hist., head of department, the National Historic Archives of Latvia, researcher of the Institute of History, the University of Latvia, Kârlis Kangeris - historian, research associate, Institute of the Baltic Studies, the University of Stockholm, Daina Kïaviòa - historian, Director, the National Archives of Latvia, Valdis Nollendorfs - foreign member of the Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Board of the Fund of the Occupation Museum of Latvia, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Aivars Stranga - corresponding member of Academy of Sciences, Dr. habil.hist., professor, Head of department of the faculty of History and Philosophy, the University of Latvia, Heinrihs Strods - honorary member of Academy of Sciences, Dr. habil.hist., professor at the Faculty of History and Philosophy, the University of Latvia, Vilnis Zariòô - corresponding member of Academy of Sciences, Dr. habil.phil.,senior researcher, :Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, the University of Latvia. Lithuania In August 1998, President Adamkus announced the formation of a Historical Commission to investigate both the Holocaust and the crimes of the Soviet occupation. Two separate sub-commissions cover the two aspects. Chairman of the Commission: Emanuelis Zingeris, Chairman of the Parliament's Human Rights Committee. Commission members have met several times in Lithuania and it is expected that an executive director will soon be appointed. Netherlands A number of research projects to look into various aspects of World War II and the subsequent period of legal restitution were initiated by the Netherlands in 1997. Currently, the following committees are conducting research:
For information on The Scholten Committee, The Kordes Committee and The Van Kemende Committee turn to:
Contact: Madelien de Planque The following reports have been provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington DC:
Norway Norwegian Restitution Committee (The Skarpnes Committee) On March 29, 1997, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice appointed a committee to investigate what happened to the property of Jews in Norway during World War II and to make a survey of restitutions made to this group after the war. The committee had the following composition:
Berit Reisel and Bjarte Bruland were appointed as members of the committee on the recommendation of the Jewish community. Anne Hals asked to be excused from duty as a member of the committee and was replaced by Eli Fure of the National Archives. The committee worked for a period of 15 months and reported to the Minister of Justice on June 23, 1997. The text of the Commission's report, in English, may be found at http://odin.dep.no/html/nofovalt/offpub/nou/1997-22/4kap01.htm For further information, contact: Norwegian Restitution Committee Fylkesman/Vest agder Tinghuset N-4605 Kristinasund Tel: (47-38) 07-6000 Fax: (47-38) 07-6013 Mr. Oluf Skarpnes, Country Governor Psychologist Beriet Reisel, Member of the Norwegian Restitution Committee Portugal Commission de Contrôle/Dept. dos Serviços de Apoyo da Informaçao et Documentaçao c/o Banco da Portugal The Commission and its mandate: The Commission of Enquiry on Transactions in Gold carried out between the Portuguese and the German Authorities between 1936 and 1945 was created by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 57/98, of April 8, 1998.It took office on May 21, 1998. In fulfillment of its mandate, the Commission presents a report on the war time gold transactions between the Portuguese and the German authorities as well as on the post-war negotiations carried out between Portugal and the Tripartite Commission with respect these transactions. Members of the Commission (January 26, 1999): Spain Spanish Historical Commission on Gold and Related Matters Concha Espina, 8-7 Izda
Mr. Areilza (Office of the Presidency)
The Spanish Commission has a double mandate of clarity and ethical action. It is examining the Spanish archives to determine Spain's policies in Spain's relations and economic transactions with the warring parties in World War II and with third countries to establish historical truth and inherent justice. The Commission is focusing its work in four specific areas: 1) monetary gold; 2) non-monetary gold; 3) German assets in Spain; 4) economic-commercial relations of Spain with foreign countries. The Commission will present a report to the Government of Spain. Sweden Commission on Jewish Assets in Sweden at the Time of the Second World War Contact person at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden: The Commission was established by a decision at a Government Cabinet Meeting on February 13, 1997. It has issued four papers:
These four papers are available in Swedish and English on the Foreign Ministry Web Site. For the English text, please see http://www.ud.se/english/nazigold/nazigold.htm Also mentioned on this website is a Conference Paper "Sweden and the Nazi Gold", November 20, 1997 (Presentation at the London Conference on Nazi Gold) Sweden's Central Bank, Riksbanken, has issued a report made by and independent Archives Inquiry regarding "The Gold Transactions of Sveriges Riksbank with Nazi Germany" (December 1997). A comprehensive summary of this Report is available in English at: http://www.riksbank.se/eng/ Regieringsgatan 32 Mr. Rolf Wirten, chairman Switzerland International Commission of Independent Experts Switzerland-Second World War (also referred to as the Bergier Commission)
Additional information can be found at http://www.uek.ch The legal basis for the appointment of the Independent Commission of Experts in the Swiss Parliament may be found at http://www.parliament.ch Turkey Turkey has established a commission under the direction of State Minister Professor Dr. Sukru Sina Gurel, with the assistance of a secretariat comprised of historians, economists, and academicians. United Kingdom There is no official committee or commission as such in the United Kingdom dealing with Holocaust victims' assets. Official research is done when required by departmental researchers/historians. Policy decisions based on the results of the research are then taken by relevant ministers and action carried out by the relevant government department. Principal contact: United States of America In addition to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets the following agencies may be of help: Foreign Claims Settlement Commission Washington, DC Washington , DC Phone: (202) 616-6975 2401 E Street NW National Archives and Records Administration: Holocaust-Era Assets Project 8601 Adelphi Road Acquires, preserves, and makes available for research records of enduring value created or received by organizations of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||