New Claims Conference Agreement with Germany US Holocaust
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SEPTEMBER 2013 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 New Claims Conference Agreement US Holocaust Memorial Museum With Germany Marks 20th Anniversary By AMBASSADOR STUART E. EIZENSTAT By SARA J. BLOOMFIELD, Special to Together In November of 2012, the German government and the Claims After the Holocaust, survivors did an astonishing thing. They Conference jointly marked the 60th anniversary of the Claims could have responded to being abandoned by the world with anger Conference with a ceremony in Berlin. At that ceremony, Finance and resentment, but instead they focused on renewal and rebirth. Minister Wolfgang Schäuble of Germany and I executed an over- And then, after rebuilding their lives, they did another astonishing all agreement that outlines the relationship between the two par- thing. They determined that their memories should not remain just a ties for the future. The fi rst fruits of the new understanding are re- source of private pain, but should become a source of public educa- fl ected in the monumental agreement reached in negotiations with tion. They wanted to make sure that no one’s future would be like the German government that recently concluded in Jerusalem. their past. Animated by that powerful dream, they spearheaded the The Claims Conference has successfully negotiated an agree- building of a permanent living memorial on the National Mall: the ment with the German government which, taken with the amount United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. previously agreed upon, will provide approximately $1 billion over the four-year-period, 2014- 2017, for homecare for Jew- ish Nazi victims, with the annual amount increasing every year through 2017. The amount the German government will provide in 2015— €205 million ($266 million)—is an increase of 45 percent over 2014. The government will also provide €210 million ($273 million) for 2016 and €215 million ($280 million) for 2017. The previously agreed-upon amount for 2014 is approximately €142 million ($185 million), an increase of €12 million ($15 million) over 2013 funding. Thus, taken together, this historic agreement is a commitment of €772 million or approximately $1 billion for the four years 2014 - 2017. The German government also committed to review annually the adequacy of these funding levels. This unprecedented amount of funding means that we can give Museum educator Rebecca Dupas, Museum Founding Chairman Elie Nazi victims around the world the aid that they desperately need Wiesel, World War II Veteran Scottie Ooton, and former President Bill Clinton spoke at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's as they grow more frail. Further, that the agreement encompass- National Tribute to Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans. es funding through 2017 underscores the German government’s (Photo courtesy of USHMM.) ongoing commitment to Holocaust survivors. It is all the more impressive because it comes at a time of budget austerity in Ger- Since the 1978 President’s Commission on the Holocaust, many. chaired by Elie Wiesel, through the 20th anniversary of the Mu- This agreement for historic levels of homecare funding for seum this year, survivors have been the driving force of the Mu- Nazi victims is the result of many months of a sustained, con- seum. Before the Museum opened in 1993, they established our certed effort by our negotiating delegation and by Claims Confer- nation’s annual Days of Remembrance ceremonies in the rotunda ence staff. The German government agreed to provide this fund- of the U.S. Capitol, and their ideas helped shape our Permanent Exhibition. They remain involved with the Museum in numerous ing after reviewing extensive detailed material on the numbers ways both in Washington and around the country. Their commit- and distribution of Holocaust victims, poverty and disability rates, ment and passion are key to the Museum’s success. cont’d on p. 2 cont’d on p. 9 PERMIT NO. 4246 NO. PERMIT New York, New York 10001 York New York, New NEW YORK, NY YORK, NEW 122 West 30th Street, Suite 205 Suite Street, 30th West 122 PAID Jewish Holocaust Survivors Holocaust Jewish U.S. POSTAGE U.S. American Gathering of Gathering American NON-PROFIT September 2013 visit our website at www.amgathering.org TOGETHER 1 Eizenstat Report cont’d from p. 1 TOGETHER governmental supports and costs of service as well as projections of future needs of Holocaust victims, which September 2013 Volume 27 Number 2 was prepared by your organization. c•o•n•t•e•n•t•s In advance of the meeting of our full delegation, New Claims Conference Agreement With Germany by Stuart E. Eizenstat.................1 there were many working group level meetings between US Holocaust Museum Marks 20th Anniversary by Sara J. Bloomfi eld......................1 Claims Conference staff and that of the Finance Min- A Meditation on Remembrance by Menachem Z. Rosensaft.......................................3 istry. In addition, Roman Kent met with key German Inside the Claims Conference: An Update by Sam Sokol.............................................4 government offi cials helping to solidify this agreement. Eli M. Rosenbaum-Keynote Speaker at National Holocaust Commemoration...........5 I wanted to personally let you know of my gratitude The US Holocaust Memorial Museum at 20 by Susan Eisenhower...............................6 to Greg Schneider for having the vision and drive to Why I Resigned From Claims Conference Board by Samuel Norich..........................7 organize this campaign, which has culminated in this Hungarian Holocaust Survivors to Receive Reparations by Sam Sokol.......................7 agreement. Greg has made it a priority to gather detailed Tehran Jewish Committe Critizes Ahmadinejad by R. Zamanov..................................9 information and data on the growing plight of aging Trip Refl ections 2013 by Elaine Culbertson.................................................................10 Nazi victims and present it to the German government State Controller’s Database to Aid Holocaust Heirs by Stewart Ain .........................12 in an effective and compelling fashion in order to dem- Prague Train Station to Become Holocaust Memorial by Sam Sokol.........................12 onstrate their increasing needs to the German govern- Michigan Holocaust Survivors Stories by Mark Stryker..........................................13 ment. His dedication and professionalism are above and Holocaust Survivors Say Knesset Fails Them by Omri Efraim...............................15 beyond what could be expected, and he made it clear A Birkenau Survivor’s Memoirs by Etan Newman.....................................................16 throughout this process that he was absolutely commit- Survivor Backs Claims Conference by Jehuda Evron................................................16 ted to obtaining the funding to which the Finance Min- Searches (contributing editor Serena Woolrich)....................................................18 istry ultimately agreed. Greg’s passion and integrity are Noted in Passing..........................................................................................................19 well appreciated by our German government interlocu- In Memoriam...............................................................................................................20 tors. The lives of tens of thousands of Holocaust victims A Message from the President and the Chairman.......................................................24 will be made easier in their old age due to Greg’s skill NOTICE TO HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS and vision. NEEDING ASSISTANCE Karen Heilig of the Claims Conference staff also de- Financial assistance is available for needy Holocaust survivors. If you have serves special recognition. an urgent situation regarding housing, health care, food or other emergency, Several other signifi cant agreements were reached at you may be eligible for a one-time grant funded by the Claims Conference. our Jerusalem negotiations: If there is a Jewish Family Service agency in your area, please discuss your situation with them. If there is no such agency nearby, mail a written inquiry Open Ghettos describing your situation to: Blue Card Under the current regulations governing Claims Con- 171 Madison Avenue ference pension programs, those survivors who were in Suite 1405 “closed” ghettos, surrounded by a wall, are entitled to New York, NY 10016 receive payments if incarceration in a ghetto is the basis for applying. There are, however, thousands of survi- American Gathering Executive Committee vors who were in ghettos that were not closed, such as SAM E. BLOCH • ROMAN KENT • MAX K. LIEBMANN in Czernowitz, Romania and many places in Bulgaria, GLORIA GOLAN • JOYCE CELNIK LEVINE • MENACHEM ROSENSAFT among other Nazi-allied countries. These Jews lived un- ELAN STEINBERG, der conditions similar to closed ghettos: under curfew; deprived of their jobs; subject to persecution measures; wore the yellow star; received reduced food rations; and lived in constant fear of deportation. TOGETHER Resulting from the negotiations, the German AMERICAN GATHERING OF JEWISH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS government agreed to expand the eligibility criteria of AND THEIR DESCENDANTS the two pension programs, the Article 2 Fund and the President Vice Presidents Publication Committee SAM E. BLOCH EVA FOGELMAN SAM E. BLOCH, Chairman Central and Eastern European Fund, as of January 1, Chairman GLORIA GOLAN ELLEN S. GOLDSTEIN ROMAN KENT ROSITTA E. KENIGSBERG ROMAN KENT 2014, for those Jews who lived under the conditions