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Solidarity lacking as conference on Nazi gold ends
U.S. to host new gathering next year
In this story:December 4, 1997
- At least 8 nations waive claim to Nazi gold
- Gold archives closed, for now
- New Nazi gold conference planned
- Switzerland glad to see spotlight on others
- Related stories and sites
Web posted at: 1:57 p.m. EST (1857 GMT)LONDON (CNN) -- An international conference on looted Nazi gold ended Thursday with division on two issues: opening secret archives and a fund to aid elderly Nazi-era victims.
Britain and the United States set up the fund at the start of the three-day London conference, which was organized to put the spotlight on Nazi Germany's robbery and pillaging during the war.
Time running out for aging Nazi victims 
315K/18 sec. AIFF or WAV sound "...a problem of this century" 281K/25 sec. AIFF or WAV sound
Lord Mackay, Chairman, Nazi Gold Conference But at the close, only a handful of the 41 nations in attendance had indicated they would back the fund, which aims to compensate Holocaust survivors and other World War II-era victims.
Noting that the survivors "are now getting pretty elderly ... (money to help them) should be available as soon as possible," said Britain's Lord Mackay, the conference chairman.
Personal accounts of Nazi oppression presented by victims during private sessions of the conference were "moving," he said, and added to a sense of urgency.
"It was a problem of this century. It would be highly desirable (if it was) dealt with within this century," he told reporters.
At least 8 nations waive claim to Nazi gold
Since 1946 The Tripartite Commission -- formed by Britain, France and the United States after the war -- has been redistributing looted gold to countries whose treasuries were raided by invading Nazis.
Five and a half tons of that gold has yet to be returned.
Britain and the United States have urged nations to relinquish their claims and donate the gold they are owed to the aid fund. France has refused to go along, saying it wants to take direct possession of its share of the gold so the proceeds can be distributed directly to France's Jewish population.
Austria and Poland said Thursday they would donate what they are owed. Of the other claimants, Luxembourg, Greece and Croatia have said they are prepared in principle to transfer part or all of their claims to the new fund.
Argentina has also said it plans to make a donation.
Gold archives closed, for now
Controversy also continued over the refusal of the Tripartite Gold Commission to open its archives.
The United States wants the documents declassified immediately, to help uncover the truth about gold stolen from Jews and other victims. Britain and France want to wait until the commission wraps up its work in a few months.
The Vatican, which has been accused of laundering gold stolen from gypsies by Croatian fascists, is also resisting pressure to open its archives.
New Nazi gold conference planned
Eizenstat The United States said it would hold a second international conference in Washington next year to continue the investigation into Nazi looting.
U.S. Undersecretary Stuart Eizenstat said the conference would be convened under the auspices of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and would take place either in late spring or early summer.
Jewish organizations say another conference is vital because the London meeting has only had time to touch briefly on many complex topics, such as where exactly the Nazi gold came from and how Holocaust survivors can be compensated.
Switzerland glad to see spotlight on others
The way Switzerland sees it, the conference has been a success because it showed the Swiss aren't the only ones who had financial dealings with Adolf Hitler's Germany.
But the World Jewish Congress, which claims Switzerland still owes billions in compensation for the looted Nazi gold it bought, said the Swiss are refusing to pay and conducting "business as usual."
In a report released Wednesday, the United States said four other neutral countries in World War II handed back less than 20 percent of the looted Nazi gold estimated to be stashed in their banks.
Portugal and Spain hung onto all but a fraction of their Nazi gold, Turkey never repaid a penny of the millions of dollars in looted bullion it bought from Germany, and Sweden dragged its feet in handing back looted gold, the report said.
In addition, U.S. officials suspect Argentina kept stolen gold from Germany and neutral European countries even though the government claimed it never had any Nazi gold.
While Western allies estimated that the neutral countries held stolen gold currently valued at $97 million to $170 million, less than $20 million worth was ever recovered, the report said.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- World War II allies attacked at Nazi gold conference - December 3, 1997
- Swiss banks publicize more dormant Nazi-era accounts - October 29, 1997
- Swiss banks publish dormant WWII-era accounts - July 23, 1997
Related sites:
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- Foreign and Commonwealth Office British Government
- Swiss banks dormant accounts site
- Simon Wiesenthal Center
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