The “Unfinished Justice: Restitution and Remembrance” conference was hosted at the European Parliament in Brussels under the patronage of Mr. Antonio Tajani MEP - President of the European Parliament - and was organised by the European Alliance for Holocaust Survivors (EAHS), a coalition of Members of the European Parliament committed to issues impacting Holocaust Survivors, the European Shoah Legacy Institute (ESLI), the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), together with the European Jewish Congress (EJC), B'nai B'rith International, the Permanent Missions of Israel, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom to the European Union, and their respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs.
The conference aimed to discuss the restitution of Holocaust-era assets in the forty-seven countries that endorsed the Terezin Declaration in 2009, with a particular focus on the current state of post-Holocaust restitution, best practices for countries to address issues, and methods for the European Union to encourage ongoing progress.
The Conference was attended by Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, special envoys for Holocaust issues, representatives from the European Union and European Commission, diplomats, and representatives of non-governmental organisations from more than 30 countries.
The Conference concluded with the official launch of the Immovable Property Restitution Study commissioned in 2014 - a unique and user-friendly source of information on how states have dealt with restitutions from 1945 until today – and a Declaration endorsed by over 70 members of the European Parliament that will be utilised as a tool for further discussion and progress on these important issues.
Please see media coverage below:
United States:
The New York Times: Holocaust Survivors in Poland Find Restitution Claims ‘Like a Carousel’
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/10/world/europe/holocaust-survivors-poland-restitution.html?post_id=1042785908_10211594209384474#_=_
ABC News: Thousands at Auschwitz for yearly Holocaust memorial event
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/thousands-auschwitz-yearly-holocaust-memorial-event-46979747
Cleveland Jewish News: Thousands at Auschwitz for yearly Holocaust memorial event
http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/world_news/thousands-at-auschwitz-for-yearly-holocaust-memorial-event/article_c48a3a56-76e4-5a0e-81ba-f8ce14ec1f76.html
The Detroit News: Thousands at Auschwitz for Holocaust memorial event
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/world/2017/04/24/poland-holocaust-remembrance/100837346/
Forward: Eastern Europe Urged to Return Stolen Jewish Property
http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/370223/eastern-europe-urged-to-return-stolen-jewish-property/
Forward: Report: Poland Only EU Country Without Law Returning Jewish Property
http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/370300/report-poland-only-eu-country-without-law-returning-jewish-property/
Fox News: European nations not returning Jewish properties taken during Holocaust era
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/24/european-nations-not-returning-jewish-properties-taken-during-holocaust-era.html
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Poland not complying with calls to return Jewish property, report says
http://www.jta.org/2017/04/27/default/poland-not-complying-with-calls-to-return-jewish-property-report-says
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency: US envoy on Holocaust issues urges Eastern European nations to return stolen Jewish property
http://www.jta.org/2017/04/27/news-opinion/world/us-holocaust-issues-envoy-urges-eastern-european-nations-to-return-stolen-jewish-property
Rawstory/ Newsweek: Poland and others fail on WWII restitution goal: report
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/04/poland-and-others-fail-on-wwii-restitution-goal-report/
Star Herald: Thousands at Auschwitz for yearly Holocaust memorial event
http://www.starherald.com/news/nation_world/thousands-at-auschwitz-for-yearly-holocaust-memorial-event/article_edd536ce-49a4-55ed-a169-440c37d57833.html
Voice of America: Thousands Visit Auschwitz for Yearly Holocaust Memorial Event
https://www.voanews.com/a/thousands-auschwitz-annual-holocaust-memorial-event/3823229.html
World Israel News: Study: Several European countries failed to return property stolen from Holocaust victims
https://worldisraelnews.com/study-several-european-countries-failed-return-property-stolen-holocaust-victims/
Yahoo! News: Thousands at Auschwitz for yearly Holocaust memorial event
https://www.yahoo.com/news/thousands-auschwitz-yearly-holocaust-memorial-event-111409523.html
United Kingdom:
The Guardian: Eastern Europe failing on Jewish restitution pledges, study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/24/eastern-europe-failing-on-jewish-restitution-pledges-study-finds-poland-terezin-declaration-theft-holocaust-communist-eras
The Independent: Many countries yet to return Jewish property stolen by Nazis, study claims
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/nazi-germany-stolen-jewish-property-yet-to-return-shoah-immovable-property-restitution-study-world-a7698011.html
Jewish Chronicle: Former Soviet states failing on restitution
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/former-soviet-states-failing-on-restitution-1.436968
Jewish News: Nazi loot still missing after 70 years
http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/nazi-loot-still-missing-after-70-years/
Newsweek: Eastern European counties failing to return stolen Jewish property: report
http://www.newsweek.com/eastern-europe-poland-failing-stolen-jewish-property-report-589228
Newsweek (Opinion Article): How we can help holocaust survivors get back their property
http://www.newsweek.com/holocaust-memorial-restitution-591752
Talk Radio: Study claims several countries have yet to return Jewish property stolen by Nazis
http://talkradio.co.uk/news/study-claims-several-countries-have-yet-return-jewish-property-stolen-nazis-17042412907#wG4zHFdx4GUdFjjs.99
Belgium:
European Jewish Press: European Parliament President Antonio Tajani: ‘Restitution, together with remembrance and reconciliation, is a fundamental element to restore justice after the Holocaust’
http://www.ejpress.org/article/European-Parliament-President-Antonio-Tajani-Restitution-together-with-remembrance-and-reconciliation-is-a-fundamental-element-to-restore-justice-after-the-Holocaust/23205
Balkans:
Balkan Insight: Balkan States Rapped over Holocaust Property Restitution
http://www.independent.mk/articles/43252/Macedonian+Foreign+Minister+Attends+International+Conference+on+Holocaust+in+Brussels
Blic (Bosnia): WJRO: Many countries have not yet returned the property to Jews
http://www.blic.rs/vesti/svet/wjro-mnoge-zemlje-jos-nisu-vratile-imovinu-jevrejima/6d35c8j
RTRS (BiH): Israel urges BiH and Polish Jews to return assets worth billions of euros
http://rtrs.tv/vijesti/vijest.php?id=250860
Independent Macedonia: Macedonian Foreign Minister Attends International Conference on Holocaust in Brussels
http://www.independent.mk/articles/43252/Macedonian+Foreign+Minister+Attends+International+Conference+on+Holocaust+in+Brussels
The Baltic Times: “Unfinished Justice: Restitution and Remembrance” put Baltics in unfavorable spotlight
http://www.baltictimes.com/___unfinished_justice__restitution_and_remembrance____put_baltics_in_unfavorable_spotlight/
Czech Republic:
Transitions Online: CEE Chided for Erratic Progress on Jewish Restitution
http://www.tol.org/client/transitions/11869-about-us.html
France:
Le Courrier des Balkans: Return of Holocaust Victims’ Property: Balkan Failure
https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/Restitution-des-biens-des-victimes-de-l-Holocauste-l-echec-des-Balkans
Germany:
Deutsche Welle: Eastern Europe fails pledges to return Jewish property, says study
http://www.dw.com/en/eastern-europe-fails-pledges-to-return-jewish-property-says-study/a-38599555
KNST: Thousands at Auschwitz for yearly Holocaust memorial event
http://ksnt.com/2017/04/24/thousands-at-auschwitz-for-yearly-holocaust-memorial-event/
Israel:
Arutz Sheva: EU head: ‘Accelerate restitution of Holocaust victims property’
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/228676
Israel Hayom: Eastern European countries failing Jewish restitution pledge, new study finds
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=41995
The Jerusalem Post: European Parliament President urges post-Holocaust Restitution progress
http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/European-Parliament-president-urges-post-Holocaust-restitution-progress-489067
The Times of Israel: Holocaust restitution report fails efforts by Poland, Bosnia
http://www.timesofisrael.com/holocaust-restitution-report-fails-efforts-by-poland-bosnia/
Ynet: Study: Eastern Europe not meeting commitments on returning stolen Jewish property
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4953017,00.html
Malaysia:
Malaysian Digest: Eastern Europe Fails Pledges to Return Jewish Property, Says Study
http://www.malaysiandigest.com/world/671900-eastern-europe-fails-pledges-to-return-jewish-property-says-study.html
Poland:
Associated Press: Thousands at Auschwitz for yearly holocaust memorial event
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_POLAND_HOLOCAUST_REMEMBRANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-04-24-07-14-23
Russia:
Sputnik News: Many European states have failed to handle the property theft of Jews prior and during World War II
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201704241052951787-europe-holocaust-jewish-declaration/
Sweden:
Dagen: Then Europe’s Jews will get back stolen property from the Nazi era
http://www.dagen.se/sa-ska-europas-judar-fa-tillbaka-stulen-egendom-fran-nazitiden-1.958126