Belgian Banks Return Possessions of World War II Jewish Victims

Belgian banks have begun returning possessions of Jews deported or killed during World War II to their heirs from safe deposit boxes that had been sealed for more than half a century.

Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders today handed 12 packages containing cash, stock certificates, jewelry and other valuables to heirs and representatives of the U.K., U.S. and Israeli governments, where some beneficiaries live.

``We've identified 12 people, but it's not finished,'' Reynders said at a ceremony in Brussels. ``We have to continue in the coming years with the identification of any other possible claimants.''

Any safe-deposit box holdings that cannot be returned to their rightful owners will be transferred to the Jewish community in Belgium, said their representative David Suskind.

In 2002, the Jewish community was awarded 110 million euros ($133 million) by banks, the Belgian government and insurance companies as compensation for money that was stolen during the war. There are about 6,000 applications for compensation and the heirs are still being identified, Suskind said.

Today's handover was made possible by a law passed in 2001.

From: http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=
10000085&sid=aP_o1F0Tzh1s&refer=europe#