These documents are decisions from the Claims Resolution Tribunal in the Holocaust Victim Assets Litigation. They concern Swiss bank accounts connected with members of the Hirschland family and related families. Some names and personal details are redacted in the public copies at the claimants’ request.
Simon Hirschland Bank custody account
The February 6, 2004 decision concerned one Swiss custody account held in the name of Bank Simon Hirschland. The bank record showed that the account was transferred to Burkhardt & Co. on October 11, 1938, but it did not record the account’s value. The Tribunal concluded that the proceeds were not paid to the bank’s owners or their heirs.
Because the value was unknown, the Tribunal used its standard average value for a custody account: 13,000 Swiss francs. Applying the Tribunal’s adjustment factor of 12.5 produced a total award of 162,500 Swiss francs. The award was divided equally among four eligible claimants or represented relatives.
Important: This decision did not calculate the value of the entire Simon Hirschland Bank or all assets seized by the Nazis. It awarded compensation for one Swiss custody account connected with the bank.
Read the Simon Hirschland Bank custody-account decision (PDF)
Michael Grunebaum account
The September 30, 2003 decision concerned a Swiss account belonging to Michael Grunebaum. The records showed a balance of 772.35 Swiss francs in 1978 and 719.85 Swiss francs on April 2, 1998. The account remained dormant.
Under the Tribunal’s rules, an account of unknown type was assigned a standard value of 3,950 Swiss francs. Applying the same adjustment factor of 12.5 produced an award of 49,375 Swiss francs. The entire award went to Ernest Michael Grunebaum.
Read the Michael Grunebaum account decision (PDF)
Why the documents are redacted
The public decisions omit some names and identifying details because the claimants requested confidentiality. The summaries above explain the results without trying to reconstruct those private details.
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