Office of the Military Government for Germany (United States); Restituion Claims

This collection consists of case file claims that in originated in several European nations for restitution of property that was looted, stolen or destroyed under German occupation during World War II. Case files in this collection contain international correspondence from military missions, correspondence among OMGUS divisions, and statements from civilians, local businesses and corporations. Restitution claims were sought by private citizens, small businesses, corporations and national governments for a many types of property: architectural equipment, art objects, factory machinery, foodstuffs, heavy equipment, household objects and furnishings, livestock, masonry materials, raw materials, shares and stocks, textiles and clothing, tools, and vehicles.

Restitution claims found in this collection were sought for property from Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. Case files consist of documents from respective military missions that establish the initial claim for property, inventories and descriptions of property, and testimonies from claimants, witnesses, assigned custodians, and inspectors. Case files may also contain correspondence from parties in possession of claimed property at the time of investigation. Correspondence among OMGUS divisions and branches concerns the investigation of claims, the location of property, resolution of cases, property storage and transport.

Throughout this collection, there exists correspondence from parties in possession of claimed property at the time of investigation. Several corporations appear with frequency: Askania-Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Hollerith Maschinen Gesellschaft MBH, Deutscher Verlag, Fritz Werner Maschinen Gesellschaft MBH. An index of correspondence from all possessors, witnesses, assigned custodians and inspectors supplements the collection.