[19990812]98-699_大屠杀幸存者和继承人追讨瑞士银行存款的诉讼.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS Web98-699 AUpdated August 12, 1999Holocaust Survivor and Heir Lawsuits to RecoverSwiss Bank DepositsM. Maureen MurphyLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryVictims of Nazi persecution during the World War II era, or their heirs, have longattempted to recover assets that were deposited in Swiss banks to protect them fromNazi confiscation or that were directed to Switzerland as property of the looting Nazigovernment. Three class action lawsuits have been underway in federal district courtsseeking to force two Swiss banks that represent the majority of deposit-taking activitiesof the 1930s and 1940s, Credit Suisse and Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), todisgorge these assets and to make compensation. The cases involve complex legalquestions that seemed destined for long, costly, and contentious litigation. Theconfluence of various factorsincluding documents rescued from shredding by anemployee of UBS and evidence that earlier searches by the Swiss banks for dormantNazi-era accounts had not been thoroughprompted certain U.S. local and stateauthorities to threaten economic sanct