During World War II, some 600,000 paintings were stolen or displaced. Much of the interest in providing belated justice for victims of the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi tyranny during World War II was the result of Stuart Eizenstat’s leadership as Special Representative of the President and Secretary of State on Holocaust-Era Issues during the Clinton Administration. He successfully negotiated major agreements with the Swiss, Germans, Austrian and French, and other European countries, covering restitution of property, payment for slave and forced laborers, recovery of looted art, bank accounts, and payment of insurance policies. He recounts his Holocaust restitution negotiations in his book, Imperfect Justice.
Stuart Eizenstat recently spoke in Paris at the 20th anniversary of the CIVS, France's institution for Holocaust-related payments, and in Berlin on the 20th anniversary of the Washington Principles on Nazi-Looted Art, which he negotiated in 1998 with 44 countries. He will give an update on what has happened in restitution of Nazi looted art and what remains to be done.
Stuart Elliott "Stu" Eizenstat is an American diplomat and attorney. He served as the United States Ambassador to the European Union from 1993 to 1996 and as the United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury from 1999 to 2001.
This lecture will be followed by a book signing. A free book will be given to each person after the lecture.