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Nazi loot: more questions
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December 2, 1997: 8:42 p.m. ET
Gold and its restitution not only topics to be discussed at Holocaust conference
From Correspondent Tom Bogdanwoicz
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LONDON (CNNfn) - Nazi gold is the name and major topic of a three-day international conference in London. But as participants made clear, it is more complex than that.
Representatives of Holocaust victims are raising more than just the issue of gold and its restitution.
"Nazi gold has become shorthand for the whole array of looted assets," said Elan Steinberg, the executive director of the World Jewish Congress. "So, yes we're talking about securities, art, bank accounts, life insurance policies, and other such assets."
The conference is raising as many questions as answers. The United States delegation wants to know more about the German company Degussa, which smelted the Nazi gold.
It also wants the Tripartite Gold Commission and all countries to open their files.
"I'm disappointed that the opening of archives is proceeding so slowly, and the neutral countries archives are by no means available to private individuals, not to mention government investigators," said William Slany, a historian for the U.S. State Department.
Some delegates say the London conference, though limited in scope, is just a stepping stone.
"This conference is about gold. But there's going to be other conferences, I hope, dealing with other subjects, especially art, which is an enormous subject," said Edgar Bronfman, president of the World Jewish Congress.
The Nazi gold conference is about defining issues and presenting new information.
The Swiss have made it clear they won't be intimidated. Still, some delegates are hoping for more, including a wider investigation as well as compensation for Holocaust victims.
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