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Case ID: 2937 | Government | 12/29/2004
A class action has been filed against the United States of America on behalf of Hungarian Jews who allege that U.S. Army generals plundered family fortunes carried out of Hungary aboard a commandeered Nazi train days after the Allied victory in World War II and covered up the misdeeds for generations. The action was filed under the federal Tort Claims Act and seeks the act's maximum compensation of $10,000 per class member.
Armed with newly declassified documents and the archives of former President Clinton, Jewish families allege in a newly amended filing that they have been cheated out of belongings worth between $50 million and $120 million through looting, military requisitions and U.S.-approved auctions. The U.S. government acknowledged the existence of the train, known as the Gold Train, for the first time in a 1999 report on Holocaust assets by a presidential advisory commission. The advisory commission's research director has said its criticism of the U.S. role was watered down under pressure from the Army. The survivors allege that the United States illegally sold or distributed the gold, jewels, 1,200 paintings, silver, china, porcelain, 3,000 Oriental carpets and other luxury items seized by the Nazis from 800,000 Hungarian Jews. In one instance, the action alleges that Major General Harry Collins, a division commander, requested 45 sets of china and silver, glassware for 90 people, 320 dinner napkins and 60 sets of bedding, all to "be of the very best quality and workmanship available." In all, a lieutenant colonel allegedly delivered 22 shipments of the train's valuables to Collins. The action quotes an Army art historian who wrote in 1949 that "The negligence of this explosive situation was hardly short of being criminal," pointing to the lack of controls on what officers shipped home. The United States agreed in 1946 to return all looted Hungarian property but later reclassified the train's treasures as "captured enemy property." Much was sold at New York auctions in 1948 to help defray the costs of Jewish restoration programs in Europe. The 29 boxcar train was being moved from Hungary to Austria by Nazi officials to avoid advancing Soviet troops days after Germany's surrender and was intercepted by U.S. soldiers in May 1945. Ownership was allegedly marked on many items, and many families still have receipts for the seized property. The action alleges that the U.S. government made no effort to return the valuable personal assets, did not truthfully respond to the postwar Hungarian government and a delegation of Hungarian Jews who sought information about the property, and suppressed the truth about its actions for more than fifty years. At Lawcash.com, it is our goal to keep you informed about important legal cases, class actions and settlements. Our lawyers offer free legal evaluations in tort cases, class actions, personal injury, and other lawsuits because we are dedicated to helping you resolve your legal complaints. Other Government Cases of Interest The lawsuit claims the city of Sioux Falls negligently designed, constructed, maintained and inspected its sanitary and storm sewer lines and systems. Due to those faults, homeowners say the city should pay for damages cause by flooding during two storms in Summer 2004. A class action has been filed against body armor manufacturer Armor Holdings, Inc., on behalf of all persons, agencies, or entities that purchased, owned, have been issued, or possess vests containing Zylon, manufactured by Armor Holdings between April 7, 1999, and April 7, 2004. The action alleges that Zylon, the protective fiber used in the vests, deteriorates when exposed to heat and other conditions over time so that the vests lose their protective qualities. A class action lawsuit has been filed in the Eastern District Court of New York against Suffolk County (NY) for violations of the New York State Human Rights Law for racially-related traffic stops by Suffolk County police officers. Class members seek declaratory, injunctive relief as well as damages, attorneys' fees and costs of the litigation. A class action has been filed on behalf of renters and rental property owners in the City of Long Branch, New Jersey. The case alleges that the City has enacted unreasonable and unconstitutional ordinances to reduce the number of rental property units within city limits. The plaintiffs seek to enjoin the city from enforcing these ordinances. On September 5, 2003, the court granted final approval to the parties' settlement of a class action filed against the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the United States Department of Agriculture on behalf of more than 400,000 New York residents who allege that the agencies violated federal laws and due process rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution in the way that the agencies seized income tax refunds to pay debts allegedly owed for food stamp overpayments. The press release describing this settlement does not state the deadline for filing claims.
Generally, you cannot be held liable for debts incurred by a third party unless you voluntarily undertake to pay the debt. A $181,000 settlement has been reached between the parties in an action filed against the city of Myrtle Beach, SC, on behalf of more than 1,000 city residents who alleged that the city's water bill policy violated the state and federal constitutions by forcing current owners and renters to pay former owners' and tenants' water bills since February 5, 1994. Claims must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2003, to be considered valid. |
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