Saving Nazi-Stolen Properties To Help Holocaust Survivors

Article by Julius Berman and Roman Kent

Hal Lieberman and Daniel Kornstein conclude their recent column about the Conference on Material Claims Against Germany with a disclaimer that they do not have any clients with claims against the conference (NYLJ, March 8). Their article also reveals that they do not possess even the most basic facts about the conference or its work.

At its core, their piece reflects a fundamental misunderstanding about the legal role of the Claims Conference regarding unclaimed, formerly Jewish-owned property located in what was East Germany. Contrary to the authors' assertion, the Claims Conference does not hold any such property as a trustee. Rather, for property seized or forced to be sold by the Nazis and not reclaimed by the end of 1992—the German imposed claims deadline—the conference had the legal right to try to recover such assets, or receive related compensation, with the mission to use what was retrieved to assist Holocaust