For the most recent distribution data concerning the Refugee Class, please click
here.
Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the Refugee Class consists of those
individuals who were denied entry into or expelled from Switzerland, or admitted
into Switzerland but abused or mistreated. For more information on the Refugee Class,
please read Annex J of the
Distribution Plan.
The Distribution Plan recommended by the Special Master and adopted by the Court
authorized the Claims Conference to process the claims of Jewish claimants, and
the IOM to process the claims of Roma, Jehovah’s Witness, homosexual and disabled
claimants. Class members who indicated a possible refugee claim on their Initial
Questionnaire were sent refugee program applications either by the Claims Conference
or the IOM.
As with the other classes, applications also were made available over the Internet
and at Holocaust survivor help centers around the world.
The claims process was
supervised directly by Special Master Gribetz and Deputy Special Master Reig, and
all final determinations were made by the Court. Each claim recommended for approval
was submitted to the Court with often extensive documentation and/or a detailed
narrative, and each claim was summarized in a report filed with the Court and docketed
for public review.
Surviving refugees (or the heirs of refugees who died on or after February 16, 1999)
originally were to receive $2,500 if they were denied entry into or expelled from
Switzerland, while those admitted but mistreated were to receive $500. Those payments
subsequently were increased, respectively, to $3,625 and $725. For more information
on the Court-supervised Claims Conference Swiss Refugee program and to read a summary
of each Jewish Refugee claimant’s story, please click
here.
For a brief overview of the Court-supervised IOM Holocaust Victim Assets Programme,
please click
here.