Noord-Holland cities to investigate the expropriation of Jewish properties

A group of municipalities in Noord-Holland will conduct an investigation into confiscated Jewish properties. The focus of the investigation will be on the role of each city in the expropriation of Jewish properties during and after World War II, said the participants in a joint press release.

The cities included are Alkmaar, Den Helder, Bergen, Castricum, Heiloo, Dijk en Waard (Langedijk and Heerhugowaard), Hollands Kroon, Schagen, and Texel. The Regional Archive Alkmaar is supervising the investigation, which is being conducted by Radboud University in Nijmegen.

During World War II, Jewish residents were forced to leave their homes. "The real estate in their possession was expropriated and mostly resold," the municipalities said. This study is intended to answer questions about the actions taken by these cities in the process of expropriation. It also examines what the municipalities did in terms of legal redress for Jewish citizens and their relatives after the liberation.