Jews sue U.S. over World War II plunder

Chicago Tribune ^ | November 9, 2003 | Ron Grossman

[Symblized]

Six decades later, Veronika Baum is rendered almost speechless with rage by recounting what happened during the final days of World War II.

"How could they do such a thing?" said Baum, 72, who lives on New York's Upper West Side.

Born into a well-to-do Budapest family, she saw her parents sent to concentration camps and their property confiscated, like that of other Jews, by Hitler's Hungarian allies. Now she has gone to court seeking compensation in one of a series of lawsuits filed in recent years by Holocaust survivors. But Baum's case is different; she isn't suing the Germans or Hungarians.

She is going after the U.S. government.

Baum and her fellow plaintiffs allege that what the Hungarian fascists stole from them subsequently was plundered by American troops. Their lawyers say it was an episode of looting on a massive scale that was hushed up at the time and that Washington has tried to keep a lid on ever since.

[Symblized]

Strange story... I posted it because I think it probably opens itself up to all sorts of comments.

[Kay Soze]

My parents went through the same in the same city and never once had a US soldier take one thing.

The Russians on the other hand took EVERYTHING.

My parents came willingly to this country , shook Richard Nixon’s hand at the Austrian border then to Camp Kilmer(sp), New Jersey and worked hard and lived very successfully here.

Was always hard for my parents to comprehend how someone could NOT make a good living here no matter what the economy.

There’s a Hungarian saying that says money is all over the ground in the US you just have to be willing to bend over (work) and merely pick it up.

[Imal]

Good luck trying to sort this all out.

[Kay Soze]

"Good Luck sorting all this out."

Why do you think they waited so very long to start this?

[org.whodat]

Strange story... I posted it because I think it probably opens itself up to all sorts of comments

The truth is that it happened, but was done mostly by the top brass.

[Imal]

I am not completely ignorant of what has transpired since then. And that's the point.

By the way, any relation to Keyser Soze? ;^D

[Sofa King]

I say we throw her into a concentration camp where she would have wound up in the first place if it wasn't for the US and then ask her if she still thinks suing us is proper.

[Hildy]

As a Jew, anytime a story like this surfaces, I cringe with embarassment. My only explanation is that there's a member of the family who's a lawyer who is looking for their cut. It's heinous.

[First_Salute]

Requires a trip in the wayback machine.

[GreyFriar]

There are two problems with this type of lawsuit:

1) Hungary was conquered by the Soviets and never had any US Army forces in it. Thus how could US Army soldiers loot Hungarian homes and etc.

2) The "famous" Hungarian Gold Train: This consisted of several trains totalling a couple of hundred cars inwhich the retreating Germans piled some of their supplies and a lot of goods and treasures they confiscated (looted) from the Hungarians. Several Hungarians currently living in the US and/or their descendants have claimed that the US Army looted the trains when they reached Austria. The trains and all their contents were considered as legitmate war booty under various parts of the Hague conventions.

Most of the materials, such as family silverware, jewelry was turned over to the relief organization created under the auspies of the United Nations to take care of displaced persons. Those items were sold by the relief organization at auction in New York City. The US Army inventoried all items on the trains when they finally came into its custody at various locations in Austria. There had been many opprotunities for the loot to be re-looted during the journey from Hungary to Switzerland, where at least one of the trains was denied entry and thus remained in Austria.

[beavus]

As a Jew, anytime a story like this surfaces, I cringe with embarassment. My only explanation is that there's a member of the family who's a lawyer who is looking for their cut. It's heinous.

You've got to wonder if the US engaging in costly deadly massive warfare to defeat the Nazis means anything this plaintiff.

[Kay Soze]

"Hungary was conquered by the Soviets and never had any US Army forces in it. Thus how could US Army soldiers loot Hungarian homes and etc."

an insignificant point! </sarcasm off>

[John Beresford Tipton]

No good deed goes unpunished.
Should have left her there.

[a_Turk]

Kelly's heroes??

[waxhaw]

I'm beginning to be somewhat surprised at the number who survived the Holocaust.

[TopQuark]

As a Jew, anytime a story like this surfaces, I cringe with embarassment.

My sentiment, too, Hildy. I see no excuse for these actions whatsoever. Even if some "ambulance-chaser" entices this woman to file a claim, she should know better.

If anything, this proves that, contrary to the modern mantra, a victim need not be a moral person.

[bluelowrider57]

That was stupid

[Leisler]

It is said, and I believe, that the last appetite/emotion to exist as we get older is avarice.

[Alouette]

George Soros is Hungarian. She can sue him.