Switzerland's "business as usual" attitude in dealing in gold looted by the Nazis prolonged World War II and supported Germany's capacity to wage war, said a scathing U.S. report released Wednesday.
The study also reported conclusive proof that gold, jewelry, coins and melted-down dental fillings of concentration camp victims were taken by the Germans, mixed with plundered bank gold and resmelted into bars that were traded abroad.But the report found no evidence that neutral countries such as Switzerland knowingly accepted such tainted gold bars.
"No proof has been found that the countries to which Germany traded gold robbed from persecutees knew of the origin of such gold," said the report.
The 11-agency U.S. report, compiled under the direction of Commerce Undersecretary Stuart Eizenstat, issued no recommendations. But Eizenstat noted the United States "will explore the idea" of an international conference to determine if latter-day restitution should be made.
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook made the same call on Tuesday in releasing a 60-page report that reached similar conclusions.
Earlier this year, the U.S., British and French governments froze a central bank restitution account, administered by the Tripartite Gold Commission, which still has 5.5 tons of Nazi gold worth $63 million.
The remaining money could be used for a Holocaust restitution fund. Cook said he would it bring up with the French Wednesday.
Edgar Bronfman, president of the World Jewish Congress, issued an immediate call for the remaining tripartite funds to go to Jewish victims. As for the report, he said, "It vindicates the aspirations, the claims, the fears and the testimonies of Holocaust survivors who have asked for moral and material restitution for more than 50 years."
The Swiss government didn't immediately comment.
The 200-page study, with 350 pages of documents attached, examined U.S. and Swiss roles during and after World War II, focusing on what American officials knew and did about Switzerland's dealings in looted gold.
In an introduction, Eizenstat harshly criticized both the Swiss and U.S. governments - Switzerland for using its neutrality as an excuse to do business with Nazi Germany and American officials for not negotiating stronger after the war's end to force the Swiss to make reparations.