Kirby, James
Description
Product description The story behind the battle to recover bank accounts, insurance policies, properties and art collections looted in the Nazi era. F
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rom the Back Cover The real story behind the the battle to recover bank accounts, and properties properties looted in the Nazi era and hidden in Swiss banks. * This fascinating and well-structured account of justice too long delayed, but pursued with vigor, will delight and instruct many readers - Thomas Kenneally, Author, Schindler's Ark * Takes the action from the darkest days of World War II to the spectacular $2 billion global settlement made by the Swiss banks in late 1998. * The riveting story of survivors and families of victims of the Holocaust taking on huge Swiss banking institutions. In January 1997 a night-watchman found a large bin load of files marked for shredding and thuse the Swiss Banks most guarded secret was out. What followed was a remarkable story of survivors and descendents of the holocaust victims taking on the huge Swiss banking institutions to be allowed to claim back their own assets. My Mother's Diamonds is an incredible story which begins in Melbourne when a lawyer, Henry Burnstyner, took on a brief which was to prove to be a landmark case. He represented the Barusch family, who fled Poland, against the Swiss Banking Corporation in the first successful claim in the world. The book continues through until June 1998 with the discovery that a set of paintings in a New Zealand gallery were under claim from a Jewish family in Florence. It is a personal account of ordinary people trying to get justice from the rich and powerful banks, insurers and galleries and it exposes the alleged corruption, secret and opportunism on the part of the Swiss financial industry. This is a story that will appeal to a wide cross section of people interested in current affairs, world history, the Jewish community, true life espionage and basically anyone who wants to be absorbed by an incredibly gripping story. James Kirby has been a senior writer with the Business Review Weekly (Australia) since 1997. As a reporter, he began coverage of the Holocaust era assets in 1995 as Banking Correspondent with The Australian and has written extensively on the issue since that time. About the Author James Kirby has been a senior writer with the Business Review Weekly (Australia) since 1997. As a reporter, he began coverage of the Holocaust era assets in 1995 as Banking Correspondent with The Australian and has written extensively on the issue since that time.
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