CLAIRE ANDRIEU

In WWII, under the puppet Vichy Government, the Nazi’s demanded that all the French Banks provide the names, addresses, and holders of all bank accounts that were held by Jews or suspected Jews. Nazi agents visited the French Bank officials and threatened them if they did not comply. There were 5 American Banks doing business in France: J.P. Morgan, Chase Bank, Guarantee Trust, the Bank of the City of New York and American Express. Their bank account information was disgracefully turned over to the Nazis for fear of losing future business. The Nazis, in addition to murdering over 70,000 French Jews looted over $90 million worth of Jewish property including the money in the American banks. The American banks continued to cooperate with the French Vichy Government and the Nazis until American law made it illegal. The American Banks and their accounts in question however may not at the time have been controlled by the American owners. American Express, for example, had liquidated its interests in 1941 and transferred its accounts to French interests who appear to have been in control at the time of the disgraceful turnover or the records.

In WWII, under the puppet Vichy Government, the Nazi’s demanded that all the French Banks provide the names, addresses, and holders of all bank accounts that were held by Jews or suspected Jews. Nazi agents visited the French Bank officials and threatened them if they did not comply. There were 5 American Banks doing business in France: J.P. Morgan, Chase Bank, Guarantee Trust, the Bank of the City of New York and American Express. Their bank account information was disgracefully turned over to the Nazis for fear of losing future business. The Nazis, in addition to murdering over 70,000 French Jews looted over $90 million worth of Jewish property including the money in the American banks. The American banks continued to cooperate with the French Vichy Government and the Nazis until American law made it illegal. The American Banks and their accounts in question however may not at the time have been controlled by the American owners. American Express, for example, had liquidated its interests in 1941 and transferred its accounts to French interests who appear to have been in control at the time of the disgraceful turnover or the records.