H.RES 235 IH
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 235
Urging the Government of Argentina to build upon the steps it has taken to shed light on the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent end of World War II and release all official records pertaining to the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals following these events.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 14, 2003
Mr. HINCHEY (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. BELL, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. CASE, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FROST, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HONDA, Mr. ISRAEL, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. NADLER, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. SHAYS, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Ms. WATSON, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. WEXLER, and Mr. WYNN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Urging the Government of Argentina to build upon the steps it has taken to shed light on the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent end of World War II and release all official records pertaining to the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals following these events.
WHEREAS Nazis and other war criminals seeking to avoid prosecution for their role in the Holocaust, one of the most horrific crimes ever witnessed by human kind, were permitted to relocate to Argentina following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent end of World War II;
WHEREAS some of the most notorious criminals of the Holocaust resided in Argentina , including Adolf Eichmann, Edward Roschmann, Erich Priebke, Kurt Christmann, and Ante Pavelic;
WHEREAS Argentina , as a member of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research, has agreed on the importance of encouraging all archives, both public and private, to make their holdings on the Holocaust more widely accessible;
WHEREAS Argentina , as a member of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research, has committed to the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust and therefore agreed to `throw light on the still obscured shadows of the Holocaust' and committed to `take all necessary steps to facilitate the opening of archives in order to ensure that all documents bearing on the Holocaust are available to researchers';
WHEREAS in 1997 Argentina created the Commission of Inquiry into the Activities of Nazism in Argentina to identify Nazis who settled in the country, determine if Nazi loot had arrived in Argentina , and evaluate the impact of Nazism on Argentine society;
WHEREAS in addition to the Commission of Inquiry into the Activities of Nazism, more work needs to be done by the Government of Argentina to fulfill its international commitments and shed light on the relocation of Nazis and other war criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent end of World War II because much remains unknown about this period;
WHEREAS the New York Times reported on March 9, 2003, that the Government of Argentina is resisting calls to make public official records regarding collaborative efforts to relocate Nazis and other war criminals to Argentina;
WHEREAS Argentina has not responded to requests from numerous researchers for access to Argentina's archives on the relocation of Nazis and other war criminals;
WHEREAS the release of all records regarding the relocation of Nazis and other war criminals to Argentina is necessary to form a full understanding of the aftermath of the Holocaust and to ensure that future attempts by war criminals to avoid prosecution are thwarted;
WHEREAS the release of such records in no way indicts the present Government of Argentina in the relocation of Nazis and other war criminals; and
WHEREAS the release of such records by the Government of Argentina will be viewed as an important and positive gesture to all people who seek an accurate accounting of history: Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Argentina should--
(1) build upon the steps it has taken to shed light on the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent end of World War II; and
(2) make public all of Argentina's official records pertaining to the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals.
