Right now in Maryland, there's a legal battle going on regarding whether or not a French railroad company can be held liable for transporting people to concentration camps during the Holocaust. If this legislation is passed there will be another new standard in how the crimes can be addressed. At the same time, this brings up the whole issue of the German occupation of France, and France's role in the events of WWII and the Holocaust. As is frequently the debate, the issue is whether the railway workers and officials were coerced or if they acted in partnership with the Nazis.
However, this would set a new precedent in reparations lawsuits, and it would then mean that other countries can do the same thing to the United States for things that they have done.
The French railroad company in question has not only been paying reparations in the past but has donated to Holocaust education programs and memorials.
What do you think of this? Especially when paired with the recent news of the old cases being re-opened for accessory to murder, it seems that there has been an extra push lately to make sure everything possible is being done to bring the perpetrators of the Holocaust to justice. What do you think of this legislation and lawsuit?
I definitely agree that people need to be held responsible for their actions during the Holocaust however, I feel like legislation against companies who may have been involved is a little extreme. Going after individuals who had a part in the crimes is reasonable, but employees at companies are always changing. People who now work at the French Railroad company are not the same people who worked during WWII. We should be going after the individual people who worked at the company during that time, not the company itself.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Abby that those who are guilty should be held accountable, but that the time for that has long passed. As for punishing countries and companies, the people who were in charge then are most likely not in charge now, meaning that workers and citizens who were not involved with the holocaust at all will be punished. I understand that reparations are important, but it is unjust to punish this generation for crimes they were not involved in. If governments were to punish criminals it would have had to be right after the holocaust, when evidence was fresh in everyone's minds.
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