WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Hina) - On the last day of the International conference regarding assets confiscated from holocaust survivors, the Croatian delegation informed participants of 43 countries and 13 non-government organisations with
Croatian views and practises regarding the issue. A twenty-page document speaks about the return and restitution of confiscated assets, cultural wealth and libraries as well as the availability of archival materials. As US state secretary Stuart Eizenstat told journalists that Croatia was amongst the few countries that made available documents from World War II to the Holocaust museum in Washington. The Croatian State Archives and Memorial Holocaust Museum in May 1995 signed an agreement on cooperation and research of the holocaust in Croatia. As a result of the agreement, documents referring to 6,573 Jews killed in Croatia during World War II, were handed over. The Croatian delegation wa
WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Hina) - On the last day of the International
conference regarding assets confiscated from holocaust survivors,
the Croatian delegation informed participants of 43 countries and
13 non-government organisations with Croatian views and practises
regarding the issue.
A twenty-page document speaks about the return and restitution of
confiscated assets, cultural wealth and libraries as well as the
availability of archival materials.
As US state secretary Stuart Eizenstat told journalists that
Croatia was amongst the few countries that made available documents
from World War II to the Holocaust museum in Washington.
The Croatian State Archives and Memorial Holocaust Museum in May
1995 signed an agreement on cooperation and research of the
holocaust in Croatia.
As a result of the agreement, documents referring to 6,573 Jews
killed in Croatia during World War II, were handed over.
The Croatian delegation warned that a significant portion of
documents are still located in Belgrade however, Yugoslavia has not
shown any interest to give these documents up.
A report made by the Croatian delegation notes that a Croatian
Government decision over a year ago set up a research committee to
investigate the truth pertaining to assets belonging to holocaust
victims.
With reference to the return of assets, the report recalled a
decision that Croatia's share of moneys from the so-called tri-
partite committee, which amounted to some 118 thousand dollar, be
donated to holocaust victims.
These funds however, were blocked by the issue of Yugoslavia's
succession and Croatia has suggested that the money be released
immediately and donated to holocaust victims.
On the main, the report by the Croatia delegation carefully refers
to the law regarding the return of assets confiscated during
communist rule in the former Yugoslavia.
"Numerous regulations of the law are being objected to in the
Constitutional Court", notes the report. "However, because Croatia
is a just state, "the law in its present form must be applied until
it is supplemented, amended or its constitutionality questioned".
Referring to artefacts confiscated from holocaust victims in
Croatia, the report notes that in the first post-war years, two
state commissions "compiled a list of art items and valuables", and
that the list contained details regarding the former owner and the
origin of the items. A special list was compiled for abandoned
property or that where the owners are not known. Most confiscated of
properties dating back to 1945, were on the main nationalised.
The report also makes note that artefacts are to be considered in
light of two categories, as objects of art and as cultural heritage
items. These cannot be returned to their owners and will remain in
museums and galleries while compensation will be arranged for
former owners.
Croatia has requested that artefact and other items taken to
Yugoslavia between 1918 and 1991 be returned to Croatia in keeping
with the question of succession of the former Yugoslav republics.
The report further makes mention of the damages caused to many
heritage items during the recent aggression against Croatia.
"At the end of the second millennium, it is the last moment to
determine the historical truth and method of restitution for
holocaust victims", concludes the document presented by the
Croatian delegation at Washington's holocaust conference.
(hina) sp