World

Dutch Railways to Pay Compensation to Holocaust Victims' Relatives - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Netherlands' national rail company Dutch Railways will pay compensations to Jews transported to Nazi camps and their families, as it operated trains in service of the occupation during World War II, the NOS broadcaster reported.
Sputnik

"We have jointly decided not to fight each other in the court, but to create a committee… which will determine how we will pay individual compensations to victims," CEO of Dutch Railways Roger van Boxtel said, as quoted by the NOS broadcaster.

According to the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation (NOS), the company made this decision amid its recent negotiations with Salo Muller, a Dutch physiotherapist of Jewish origin, who since 2017 has been seeking individual compensations for Jews transported to Nazi camps by the national rail company.

Muller's lawyers dubbed this decision as "historical," while Muller itself expressed gratitude to the company for acknowledging Jewish people's suffering.

READ MORE: Polish Deputy Prime Minister Says His Party Treated Like 'Jews by Goebbels'

Over Third of Europeans Know Little or Nothing About Holocaust - Poll
Muller, an 82-year-old Dutchman of Jewish origin, lost both his parents in the Holocaust. He accused the national rail company of gaining millions from carrying out Nazis' "orders" to transport people to death camps.

In 2005, Dutch Railways made a public apology for its involvement in the transportation of people to death camps. The company participated in various charity projects, however, has refused to pay individual compensations until now.

Discuss