American Officials Pilfered Nazi Loot, Report Says

U.S. officials allowed Nazi loot from a train out of Hungary to be sold, taken by American generals or turned over to Austria instead of returned to the Jews from whom it was confiscated during World War II, a presidential commission concluded Thursday.

Some valuable items seized from the Hungarian gold train nine days after the May 7, 1945, Allied victory in Europe were put up for auction in New York, and less valuable goods were sold in the U.S. Army Exchange, the commission staff said in a report.

The Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States called it “an example of an egregious failure of the United States to follow its own policy regarding restitution of Holocaust victims’ property after World War II.”

The commission, set up by Congress to examine Holocaust assets and claims for their return, said it would interview surviving members of U.S. forces in Austria, search individual claims of Hungarian victims of the Holocaust and try to gain a clearer picture of how decisions were made on handling items from the train.

Appropriation of Nazi loot by U.S. forces took place “at the highest levels,” said the report, listing five U.S. generals who took valuables to furnish their homes and offices.

The report cites government documents alleging that Maj. Gen. Harry J. Collins, commander of a division in Austria, took from the confiscated goods five rugs, eight paintings, china for 45 people, silverware, linens and bedding.

The report said items also went to Gens. Luade, Hume, Howard and Linden--identified only by their last names. No further information about them was available.

Under U.S. policy and international law, all of the goods from the train should have been returned to their country of origin and restored to their owners, the commission said.