Nazi Gold The Stolen Treasures Essay
Nazi Gold: The Stolen Treasures Essay, Research Paper
Much of Europe was ravaged by Hitler & # 8217 ; s military personnels during the early parts of World War II. Many smaller states that were annexed by Germany & # 8217 ; s war machine, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Italy, had no pick but to release the gold stored within their vaults to Nazi Germany & # 8217 ; s Central Bank ( Smith 163 ) . Once the Reichsbank, as it was called, had placed the insignia of Nazi Germany upon each piece of gold, it was either shipped off to be stored within the Bankss of legion other states, or was hidden deep within abandoned mines and caves ( Smith 1 ) . These other states, either impersonal or independent, were in changeless fright of a Nazi invasion, so they reluctantly complied with Germany on the storage of the pillaged gold ( Smith 1 ) .
At first, Austria had non been considered a & # 8220 ; looted & # 8221 ; state, as most European authoritiess were under the sentiment that the two states were on the brink of meeting ( Smith 2 ) . This was clearly shown when, in a 1940 American tribunal instance affecting Austrian assets, it was mentioned that, & # 8220 ; & # 8216 ; This alteration [ the appropriation ] has occurred in a mode acceptable to our impressions of international jurisprudence ; the Anschlu? has in no manner been disavowed & # 8230 ; . & # 8217 ; & # 8221 ; ( Smith 2 ) As no state interfered with Germany & # 8217 ; s coup d’etat of Austria, the Nazi party was able to annex the Anschlu? , or Austria & # 8217 ; s Central Bank, by March 17, 1938 ( Smith 2 ) .
By 1939, Hitler had already taken over much of Czechoslovakia, as a consequence of the Munich Agreements, signed in September of 1938 ( Smith 4 ) . Slowly, Czechoslovakia & # 8217 ; s assets were & # 8220 ; pulled in & # 8221 ; by the Reichsbank, much of which was located in the Bohemian Discount bank and the Bohemian Union Bank. Soon, after Bohemia became a German associated state, the Nazi party was able to dig into the big gold militias of the Czechoslovakian National Bank, which was located in Prague ( Smith 5 ) .
Both Luxembourg and Belgium & # 8217 ; s assets were indirectly liquidated by the Nazis when France surrendered to Germany in June of 1940 ( Smith 11 ) . When Luxembourg, Belgium, and a few smaller states, such as Yugoslavia and Poland, were faced with the menace of a German invasion, they did the most reasonable thing at the clip ; direct their gold to France & # 8217 ; s to a great extent guarded vaults ( Smith 11 ) . When Germany & # 8217 ; s military personnels arrived in France, they hit the kitty, so to talk. One of the first things they encountered was Luxembourg & # 8217 ; s gold and assets, sitting reasonably in the Marseilles subdivision of the Bank of France ( Smith 11 ) . It had evidently been waiting to be shipped out of the state and into the bank & # 8217 ; s subdivisions in Africa ( Smith 11 ) . When asked why they took Luxembourg & # 8217 ; s belongings, the Reichsbank functionaries replied that, & # 8220 ; & # 8216 ; & # 8230 ; functionaries of the Sparkasse Luxembourg [ Luxembourg & # 8217 ; s Central Bank ] did accept payment in Reichsmarks offered them [ for the gold ] . & # 8217 ; & # 8221 ; ( Smith 11 ) In other words, the Reichsbank considered its actions to be wholly legal ( Smith 11 ) . Belgium, on the other manus, seemed much luckier. After France received the small state & # 8217 ; s gold militias, she instantly shipped them over to her West African settlements ( Smith 11 ) . Unfortunately, this did non halt Germany from conveying it all back to France. Yet, it took the Reichsbank many months to follow all of the gold hidden in legion other states by France ( Smith 12 ) .
It seems that Italy lost its gold to the Reichsbank through Germany & # 8217 ; s perfidy and fraudulence ( Smith 25 ) . In September of 1943, German forces formed a conveyance to transport Italy & # 8217 ; s gold and assets to Milan, where Mussolini & # 8217 ; s Fascist democracy had been created and established ( Smith 25 ) . The gold was subsequently moved to La Fortezza, a bastioned bastion in Italy, in December of 1943 ( Smith 25 ) . At this point, Azzolini, the governor of the Banca d & # 8217 ; Italia, or the Bank of Italy, was certain that the gold had been given to the Germans for the exclusive ground of safekeeping. Germany remembers otherwise ; the Nazis claimed to hold negotiated with the Italian bank as to the intent of the gold ( Smith 25 ) . In their ain words, & # 8220 ; & # 8216 ; & # 8230 ; the German authorities was to take the gold of the Banca d & # 8217 ; Italia as Italy & # 8217 ; s & # 8216 ; part & # 8217 ; to the war on the eastern front. & # 8217 ; & # 8221 ; ( Smith 25 ) The gold was subsequently moved to a concluding finish where Hitler could set it to & # 8220 ; good usage & # 8221 ; : Berlin ( Smith 25 ) .
Many states in the class of the war had inadvertently considered directing their assets to France & # 8217 ; s Central Bank, which was known as one of the safest and strongest Bankss in Europe, at the clip ( Smith 11 ) . Unfortunately, this theory was shattered when France surrendered to Germany in June of 1940. The Reichsbank was able to retreat ( from the bank ) legion histories that belonged to a few of Europe & # 8217 ; s states ( Smith 11 ) . The impersonal states that aided Germany, at the clip, including Sweden, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland, wholly associated with the Reichsbank for an of import ground ; they had all felt that Germany would finally win. As the war progressed, though, they began to recognize that the Nazis were contending a losing conflict ( Smith 48 ) . Yet, to this twenty-four hours, it is still being speculated that many of these neutrals still have non turned over all of Germany & # 8217 ; s stolen assets ( Whittle, Current 1 ) .
Most of the neutrals throughout Europe were in great fright of Germany & # 8217 ; s power and influence. Most were little, undistinguished states that Germany had no job commanding or busying ( Smith 48 ) . But some, such as Spain, Turkey, and Sweden, played major parts in the war. Neither Great Britain nor the United States came to an understanding on the methods needed to be used to use force per unit area on certain neutrals, such as Spain ( Smith 48 ) . The British were rather afraid that the United States & # 8217 ; rough economic steps against Spain might anger the state into fall ining an confederation with Germany ( Smith 48 ) . This would compromise Gibraltar, a British involvement ( Smith 48 ) . Portugal, on the other manus, had powerful economic ties with Britain, which helped influence Doctor Antonio Salazar, swayer of Portugal, into allowing the Allies the usage of bases located within the Azores mountain concatenation ( Smith 48 ) . This did non intend that Portugal was below covering with Germany. By the terminal of the war, over 950 bars of gold, bearing the Reichsbank insignia, were found in Portugal & # 8217 ; s Bankss ( Smith 49 ) .
Turkey was the one neutral that likely played the least of import function in the direction of Germany & # 8217 ; s financess ( Smith 49 ) . Turkey was similar to Portugal in many ways, including the fact that they were both rather of import geographically ( Smith 49 ) . At first, the Turks merely dealt with the British, but subsequently aided the Americans every bit good. This did non halt them from merchandising with Germany either ( Smith 49 ) . Money was the lone thing that mattered to Turkey, at the clip ( Smith 49 ) .
Sweden & # 8217 ; s Bankss, on the other manus, played a really of import function in the storage of German booty ( Smith 49 ) . Of all the neutrals, Sweden seemed to be the lone 1 who really understood that its independency
remained merely every bit long as it helped Germany ( Smith 49 ) . Sweden knew it would hold to do forfeits to retain their neutrality. Nothing the Allies said or did could coerce Sweden to halt covering with Nazi Germany ( Smith 49 ) . Still, by the summer of 1944, the Swedish support of Hitler’s government began to melt ( Smith 49 ) . Unfortunately, economic dealingss between Sweden and Germany did non stop until December of that twelvemonth ( Smith 50 ) .
Finally, Switzerland was the most of import impersonal in Hitler & # 8217 ; s map of protagonists ( Smith 50 ) . The independent state was besides the most hard for the Allies to cover with ( Smith 50 ) . As one American said, & # 8220 ; & # 8216 ; If the Swedes were stubborn, the Swiss were the regular hexahedron of stubbornness. & # 8217 ; & # 8221 ; ( Smith 50 ) Though Switzerland seemed like a frail, hapless state, it was a important portion in Hitler & # 8217 ; s programs. The Swiss felt that Germany would be the one strong state that would command most of Europe with their superior military and first-class schemes. They thought that every bit long as they helped Germany, Hitler would in bend protect Switzerland & # 8217 ; s claim to neutrality ( Smith 50 ) . Switzerland held a safety from Hitler & # 8217 ; s Gestapo for legion Jews & # 8230 ; yet over 24, 500 of the 300, 000 Jews that ran to the Swiss were turned off ( Math? na 2 ) .
Switzerland, of all the neutrals, held most of Germany & # 8217 ; s assets within their high-security banking histories ( Whittle, Current 2 ) . Numerous Allied states, including Britain and the United States, grew discontented with Switzerland & # 8217 ; s actions, which is why they tried to penalize the impersonal state & # 8217 ; s authorities by enforcing countenances after the war ( Whittle, Current 3 ) . It was difficult work converting them, but in the terminal, the Swiss surrendered most of the stolen assets by April of 1945 ( Smith 50 ) . On May 25, 1946, the Washington Accord was foremost opened between the Allied states and Switzerland ( Whittle, Current 3 ) . After Switzerland signed the papers, its authorities had to give over $ 58 million in gold to the Allied forces ( Whittle, Current 3 ) . Even before Switzerland & # 8217 ; s understanding to turn the gold over, attempts were made to happen concealed Nazi hoarded wealths. The United States authorities started to worry more about Germany & # 8217 ; s efforts to conceal their Nazi assets in other states within Europe ( Bradsher 2 ) . It was rumored that Germany was merely carrying its gold for personal usage, every bit good as to reconstruct itself after the war ( Bradsher 2 ) . Early, in 1944, the Departments of State and the Treasury and the Foreign Economic Administration started a undertaking, codification named the & # 8220 ; Safehaven Program, & # 8221 ; or & # 8220 ; Safehaven & # 8221 ; for short, which was designed to follow and retrieve hidden Nazi assets ( Bradsher 2 ) .
During World War II, Hitler & # 8217 ; s ground forces captured and imprisoned 100s of Jews within concentration cantonments ( Smith 45 ) . These Jews had to turn over any gold, valuables, or jewellery, to their capturers before being moved to the cantonments ( Smith 45 ) . Though many tried to defy, Germany was still able to impound a great sum of Judaic hoarded wealths. Whatever could be melted down was, and anything else was replaced for pecuniary credits ( Smith 36 ) . This was an easy manner to take any grounds of the gold being stolen ( Smith 35 ) .
Today, many Holocaust subsisters and their inheritors are still clamouring for justness and entire compensation for all that they lost. Their valuables, unluckily, were melted down, doing it about impossible to follow any of it down ( Whittle, Swiss 6 ) . Even so, many studies and probes are under manner, and shortly, with any fortune, all the lost hoarded wealths will finally be tracked down ( Whittle, Current 1 ) .
The latest major studies on the subject of Nazi gold were presented to the Untied States Congress in 1996 and 1998 ( Whittle, Current 2 ) . The first study, known as the Eizenstat Report, was headed by Stuart Eizenstat, the Under Secretary of Commerce ( of the United States ) . His study presented elaborate information about the function of Swiss Bankss during and after World War II ( Whittle, Swiss 4 ) . The Eizenstat Report took over seven months to finish. Historians, archivists, and legion experts all conducted this survey, which was eventually edited by Doctor William Slany ( Whittle, Swiss 4 ) . The 2nd study was known as the Bergier Commission Report, and was released by the Swiss authorities on May 25, 1998 ( Whittle, Current 2 ) . The Bergier Commission was an independent cabal that studied the trail of Nazi gold through Europe ( Whittle, Current 2 ) . The Bergier Commission chiefly searched and documented Switzerland & # 8217 ; s historical documents. The Report helped convey to light legion traffics between Switzerland and Germany during World War II ( Whittle, Current 2 ) . It seemed that the Swiss constabulary forces had stolen over two billion lbs from Judaic and Slavonic refugees ( Math? na 2 ) . It besides showed that by the terminal of the war, Belgium had lost the largest sum of money ( $ 223, 200, 000 ) and Switzerland had taken more than $ 378, 000, 000 of Germany & # 8217 ; s war booty ( which totaled to over $ 621, 847, 038 ) , most of which has already been recovered ( Smith 163 ) . There were a few earlier committees as good. One of most well-known 1s was the Tripartite Commission ( & # 8220 ; Text Summary & # 8221 ; par. 12 ) .
In September 1946, the United States, United Kingdom, and France created the Tripartite Gold Commission for the Restitution of Monetary Gold was launched after the constitution of the Paris Agreement in January of that twelvemonth ( & # 8220 ; Text Summary & # 8221 ; par. 12 ) . The Paris Agreement, created at the November-December 1945 Paris Reparations Conference, merely stated that the Allied states each received an equal portion of Germany & # 8217 ; s reparations, while the US, UK, and France received the largest parts ( & # 8220 ; Text Summary & # 8221 ; par. 18 ) . The Tripartite Commission, which used the same rule, took all of Germany & # 8217 ; s war booty and Nazi gold and pooled it ( & # 8220 ; Text Summary & # 8221 ; par. 12 ) . From this pool, each state involved took what they had lost during the war. The Commission helped retrieve much of what was lost ( & # 8220 ; Text Summary & # 8221 ; par. 12 ) .
There are still legion Bankss throughout the universe that are still concealing Nazi gold within their secret vaults. Why would anyone desire to maintain Hitler & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; blood money & # 8221 ; any longer? World War II occurred over fifty old ages ago. Not merely is the Nazi gold worth a batch more today, it can be melted down and sold on the black market. That is why some states do non wish to return the gold. Some still fright of an oncoming war & # 8230 ; with Hitler & # 8217 ; s booty, they will be able to protect themselves from their enemies & # 8230 ; or so they think. Millions upon 1000000s of people died protecting their valuables and hoarded wealths, but all to no help. Thankfully, many more studies and committees are being created to assist work out the enigmas that shroud the war booty. In clip, all of the hoarded wealths will be found, and the bequest of Nazi offenses will eventually stop.
Bibliography
This study deals with how Nazi Germany & # 8217 ; s Reichsbank stole Europe & # 8217 ; s gold during World War II to assist reconstruct Germany and strengthen its ground forces.
