Jews who resided in the Netherlands,
during (a part of) World War II, may claim compensation for the
plundering of their
possessions during World War II and the shortcomings of subsequent
legal rehabilitation. Their possible children and
partners may file a request provided that the person immediately
concerned himself/herself died after 8 May 1945.
The arrangement is the result of the negotiations made by the
Centraal Joods Overleg / Platform Israel with the Dutch financial
sector (banks, insurers, Stock Exchange) and the Dutch Government
regarding the return of Jewish assets and the
incomplete legal rehabilitation after the war. The majority of
the funds which the Jewish organisations obtained in this way
will now be reimbursed in equal portions to the survivors of the
holocaust in the Netherlands, or, if they are no longer alive,
to their possible children and/or partner (substitute). It concerns
an amount of NLG 525,600,000. Another part of the funds is intended
for Jewish mutual purposes and documented Jewish claims.
Centraal Joods Overleg / Platform
Israël have mutually established the Maror foundations in
order to take care of the
arrangement. 'Maror' is an acronym (in Dutch) for 'moral liability
for plunder and legal rehabilitation'. In Hebrew 'maror' means
'bitter herb'. On Monday 4 December, the chairman of the Foundation
for Governmental Maror Funds, mr. Rob van der
Heijden, started the campaign for the individual payments. The
foundations expect to pay an estimated number of 36,500
portions to the interested parties or (if the interested person
has died) to their substitutes. The first payment will amount
to NLG
14,000 (US $ 5600). After two years, a second round of payments
may take place. The interested persons and their
replacements may claim their share by means of an application
form. The form may be obtained via the website, via the return slips in advertisements
in the press or via the free phone number +800 MAROR 123
(+800 62767123).
The majority of the requests is
expected to be from the Netherlands yet there are also thousands
of potential claimants
living abroad. Many Dutch Jews moved to the United States. Advertisements
will be placed in the international press.
More detailed information may
be supplied by the Maror Desk Netherlands, Hans Dona and Esther
Koedam, telephone 31-
70 3461374. Your request for forms may be sent to: http://www.joodsetegoeden.nl or telephone number
+800 62767123.