Wilhelm-Gustloff-Stiftung (Q2571489)

documents which detail the alleged use of Swiss banks by the Nazis for illicit purposes. One such declassified intelligence document, dated June 12, 1945, from the U.S. Legation in Bern, Switzerland, entitled ``Interim Report on Johann Wehrli & Co., Zurich,'' details the use of a special account set up at what was then called the Wehrli Bank in Zurich under the name of the ``Trustee Account Gustloff Stiftung.'' I want to quote the relevant section of this document to further explain this point. The payments to the Germans of the Hirtenbergerwerke ([Fritz] Mandl's munitions factory in Austria) assets, which were under Mandl's control in 1938, were effected through the Wehrli Bank to an account known as Trustee Account Gustloff Stiftung. The examiner, who has a personal knowledge concerning the background of this trust as a result of his many years residence in Germany before the war, described the Gustloff Stiftung as a ``fund'' in which were placed the assets and titles of property taken by the Nazis from Jewish businessmen in Germany and the occupied countries. Gustloff, the head of the Nazi party in Switzerland, was murdered in 1935 by one Frankfurter. In accordance with the prevailing practice at the time, Gustloff was selected by the Nazis as one of their ``martyrs'' and many statues were erected to perpetuate his name. The name of the trust, therefore, seems to have no further significance. (English)

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Zurich Bank’s Ties with Nazis Detailed in Documents

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reference URL

https://apnews.com/article/5607665ca508b2915dca5f66ce96a425

quotation

A June 12, 1945, confidential report from the U.S. Foreign Service in Bern described a trust fund at the Wehrli Bank ``in which were placed the assets and titles of property taken by the Nazis from Jewish businessmen in Germany and the occupied countries.″This report, recently declassified by the National Archives, and others were provided to The Associated Press.The trust fund was named after Gustloff Stiftung, who led Switzerland’s Nazi party and was murdered in 1935. He was considered one of the party’s ``martyrs.″ (English)

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Wilhelm-Gustloff-Stiftung

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