January 2008
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JJJANUARY 2008 VVVOLUME 21 NUMBER 4 SURVIVOR ADVOCACY GROUPS SPLIT ON companies, three State commissioners who would represent the 50 states PROPOSED LEGISLATION and act as the U.S. delegation, and three Jewish commissioners—one They came out of the concentration camps of Europe skeletons, representing the Claims Conference, one representing WJRO, and one diseased, their bodies destroyed, their souls in turmoil. With their loved representing the Israeli government. The Chairman of the Commission ones annihilated, their former lives no longer liveable, their home was Lawrence Eagleburger, a former Secretary of State. countries anathema to their existence, they reached out for assistance ICHEIC ended its claims process in March 2007, having facilitated from the world that had betrayed them and discovered there would be the payment of some $500 million to approximately 48,000 claimants, little help, that if they were to continue they would have to do so on their even though the majority of claims were primarily anecdotal, without own. And they did. By and large Holocaust survivors have been a any substantiating documentation that would support such claims in a remarkably adaptable and self-sufficient people, achieving mjor success court of law. Part of the willingness of the signatories to submit to ICHIEC’s and achievement since crawling out of the carnage that was war-torn dominion was the promise of legal peace, that once matters had been Europe. resolved there would be no continued legal demands. Even so, a codicil Over the years, “Never again” has cried out to the world to remember was put in place that anyone still desiring to initiate a claim against a the six million Jewish slain. “Never signatory could do so at no cost to the again” has filled the air with protest Statement of the American Gathering survivor and without regard to any statute against bigotry and discrimination. The American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust of limitations. “Never again” has brought a moral Survivors and Their Descendants affirms its Despite all this, and under the instigation of certain suvivor groups and rectitude to all who would return man unequivocal support of the right of Holocaust to his basest levels. And the survivors their legal representatives, on March 28, have trumpeted a spiritual revival of survivors to pursue claims of moral and material 2007, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen such passion that many a people restitution in every appropriate venue. In this regard, introduced H.R. 1746, which would require have been influenced by their pleas we would welcome legislation that strengthens and the disclosure of Holocaust-era policies by for the betterment of mankind. Even insurers and establish a federal cause of in the face of continued perfidy by advances such rights with respect to insurance and action allowing individuals to pursue claims the very countries that betrayed them, other restitution claims. While there are positive arising out of a covered policy in U.S. courts. they persevered...and came away aspects to H.R. 1746, we believe it to be flawed in Those opposed to the proposed legislation with some justice. that it appears to be principally motivated by the argue that the public disclosure requirement Since the beginning of World represents a violation of individual privacy War II, and continuing for the next avarice of lawyers, and in that it raises unrealistic rights, especially those statutorily mandated sixty years, few Holocaust survivors expectations in the survivor community. We look in some European countries; and, that the were able to recover the proceeds of forward to working with Members of Congress to draft federal cause of action would both preempt foreign policy decisions of the Executive their unpaid Holocaust-era insurance proper legislation that truly advances the cause and policies. During that period, branch and enable an undesirable and costly survivors faced enormous obstacles interests of the survivors. stream of litigation. Furthermore, a previous in their efforts to obtain payment on Supreme Court decision even brings into such policies - thousands of which remained unpaid. Insurance companies doubt the need for such legislation. certainly were not eager to pay or even give a fair hearing to such claims. The American Gathering, a participant in the Claims Conference and Indeed, there are chilling examples of companies insisting that claimants ICHEIC, has come under attack by these groups because it will not support produce death certificates from Auschwitz of the policy-holders. The actions that it deems contravene moral obligations that have been negotiated statute of limitations, the absence of relevant documentation, and the with relevant parties. In addition, few of the claims made by these groups prohibitive costs and time involved proved insurmountable obstacles to can be documented and, as a result, only a few survivors, if any, will ever successful recovery for the overwhelming majority of claimants. receive the compensation they seek and the legal proceedings will take many As these several different factors came to a boiling point in the late years. On the other hand, ongoing negotiations that will benefit thousands 1990’s, the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims of survivors are now threatened by this pending legislation as those affected (ICHEIC) came into existence. One of the main reasons for the creation now see agreements made with Jews as lacking substance. of the Commission was the arrogance and lack of feeling displayed by As Roman Kent, chairman of the American Gathering has indicated, European insurance companies toward Holocaust survivors. They “The recent tumult in many ways tarnishes the memory of the six million understood nothing because they didn’t want to. This being the case, the who perished. The public bickering among the various organizations and Commission was formed to force the insurance companies to honor their the lawyers troubles me. The expectation of millions, if not billions (as some obligations. The founding organization consisted of twelve commissioners: would have it), diverts attention from the unprecedented evil that was the There would be one each from the six largest member European insurance cont’d on p. 2 American Gathering of NON-PROFIT Jewish Holocaust Survivors U.S. POSTAGE PAID 122 West 30th Street, Suite 205 NEW YORK, N.Y. New York, New York 10001 PERMIT NO. 4246 January 2008 visit our website at www.americangathering.com TOGETHER 1 TOGETHER TOGETHER AMERICAN GATHERING OF JEWISH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS January 2008 Volume 21 Number 4 AND THEIR DESCENDANTS c•o•n•t•e•n•t•s 122 West 30th Street, Suite 205 · New York, New York 10001 · 212 239 4230 Founding President Vice Presidents Regional Vice-Presidents Publication Committee BEN MEED, l’’z EVA FOGELMAN ISABEL ALCOFF SAM E. BLOCH, Chairman Survivor Advocacy Groups Split on Proposed Legislation..........................1 Honorary President ROSITTA E. KENIGSBERG MEL MERMELSTEIN Hirsh Altusky, l’’z VLADKA MEED ROMANA STROCHLITZ PRIMUS JEAN BLOCH ROSENSAFT Jeanette Friedman Of Memory and Remembrance by Sam E. Bloch.......................................3 President MENACHEM Z. ROSENSAFT MARK SARNA Dr. Alex Grobman The New Museum at Bergen-Belsen by Menachem Rosensaft...................4 SAM E. BLOCH STEFANIE SELTZER CHARLES SILOW Roman Kent Honorary Chairman ELAN STEINBERG Counsel Max K. Liebmann Jewish Foundation for the Righteous by Roman Kent................................4 ERNEST MICHEL JEFFREY WIESENFELD ABRAHAM KRIEGER Vladka Meed Chairman Secretary Director of Communications Dr. Romana Strochlitz Primus I Came to Bergen-Belsen by Gloria Bloch Golan....................................... 5 ROMAN KENT JOYCE CELNIK LEVINE JEANETTE FRIEDMAN Menachem Z. Rosensaft Honorary Senior Treasurer Editor Emeritus Dr. Philip Sieradski Pakistan Attacks Survivors..........................................................................5 Vice President HOWARD BUTNICK ALFRED LIPSON, l’’z WILLIAM LOWENBERG Claims Conference.....................................................................................6 Senior Vice President Claims Conference Giving $550,000..........................................................6 MAX K. LIEBMANN Claims Conference Information Notice to Assist Survivors Applying for New German Government Ghetto International Day of Commemoration at the UN Labor Compensation Fund........................................................................7 It Happened in Prague................................................................................8 in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust Monument Men Honored...........................................................................8 Monday, January 28, 2008 Winds of Change in Holocaust Museum by Manar Fawakhry...................9 Poland’s Hidden Jews by Vanessa Gera......................................................9 6 to 8:30 P.M. Stella by Dr. Salomea Kape......................................................................10 In Memoriam............................................................................................11 [TICKETS REQUIRED] An Appreciation of David Kranzler by Jeanette Friedman........................13 The ceremony will feature a concert by the Buchmann-Mehta School of Tribute to E. Edward Herman by Helen Z. Schwimmer.............................13 Music Symphony Orchestra, Tel Aviv University, in cooperation with the Hafner’s Paradise......................................................................................14