Customer Reviews

Swiss Banks and Jewish Souls

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A flat and linear recount of the Swiss dormant accounts episode.
It is unbelievably one sided. There is no effort to even try a little bit to present the other side or look at the historical context.
The US politicians and Jewish organizations are portrayed as smart, coherent, "a prestigious group", while the author presents the Swiss protagonists as a bunch of dumb cynical Nazi sympathizers. The Swiss are fidgety, dishonest, greedy, and have a "thick German accent". Every action they take is "half hearted" or anemic.
Every single accusation against the Swiss even the most outrageous ones (that were debunked like the Greta Beer story) are presented as indisputable facts. Even when the author alludes to mistakes, he never clarifies what those were and furthermore justifies them as strategy to discredit the Swiss (a noble cause apparently).
I won't go over all the inaccuracies as it would fill many pages. I also am saddened by the lack of respect given to Hans Baer, an extremely ethical Swiss personality that is openly mocked.
The author makes a point of catching every grammatical or syntax error when quoting the Swiss (who are obviously non English speakers) as to probably make them sound illiterate and unsophisticated.
What is astonishing to me is the way the author portrays the Swiss and the vocabulary chosen to do so is amazingly similar to pre world war antisemite writings.
Finally this: "the Swiss collaboration with the Nazis was so pervasive that no one in that country would escape the attack" a grotesque statement equating the entire Swiss people to Nazis while the United States is portrayed throughout the book as a beacon of moral purity.

Gregg Rickman's masterful work is a true "insider's guide" to the Swiss Banks/Nazi Gold issue. Rickman leads the reader through the past, Swiss wartime collaboration with the Nazi regime in profiting from the Holocaust, through the present -- the ongoing pursuit of justice 50 years later.

Far more than an observer, Rickman was a leading actor in this historically unprecedented research and discovery effort. He deftly guides the reader along his journey as the issue developed and exploded on the international scene beginning in 1996. To present the political, historical, ethical and legal aspects of this issue, Rickman incorporates interviews, testimonies, hearing trancripts,and his personal perspective as THE key policy maker involved in stategizing and coordinating the investigation into a supposedly "neutral" government's past.

This book is a MUST READ for anyone interested in World War II, the Holocaust, and the Swiss Banks/Nazi Gold issue. It is also an incredible case study and moral tale of the triumph of good over evil. Rickman shows how he and others tackled the mighty Swiss banking establishment -- and won. Rickman was instrumental in shattering Switzerland's neutrality myth and exposing the hidden secrets of the "Gnomes of Zurich." He has done a valuable public service in writing and sharing this fascinating story. I highly recommend it.

During the past four years I have read probably every book and government report regarding Jewish bank accounts in Swiss banks. Many of the books are quick, journalistic-types; often containing incorrect or misleading information. Most were written by "outsiders," people who have not been directly involved in the identification of Jewish assets in Swiss banks, nor involved in the efforts to bring about restitution of such assets. This book by Gregg Rickman is one of the exceptions. He was directly involved in the identification and restitution efforts. In fact, he put his heart and soul into the efforts to bring justice to victims of the Holocaust and to their heirs. Thus, it is not surprising that the book is written with a real passion. The "bad guys" are identified and taken to task. The "good guys" are also identified and their roles are clarified in the various political, diplomatic, and legal contextes. Rickmann weaves a story containing information about past misdeeds and present injustices and recent efforts to turn history into justice. His book should be mandatory reading for anybody interested in the subject and for anybody interested in how old archival records can be used to right the wrongs of the past.

THIS BOOK IS MUST READING FOR ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE HOLOCAUST; SWISS BANKS, OR THE ROLE THE SWISS PLAYED DURING WORLD WAR II. THE ENTIRE TRUTH ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION BY SENATOR ALFONSE D'AMATO. VERY WELL WRITTEN. A BOOK YOU CAN'T PUT DOWN UNTIL FINISHED.