The Mystery of the Hungarian "Gold Train"

In May 1945, forces of the American Army seized a train in the town of Werfen, Austria containing valuables spirited out of Hungary, by members of the pro-Nazi Hungarian government in an attempt to escape the advancing Soviet Army. This train carrying gold, jewelry, art and other treasures confiscated from the Hungarian Jewish population -became known as the Gold Train. The story of the Gold Train provides both a comprehensive illustration of the questions that arose from the United States' restitution policy and its implementation, and a mysterious example of one egregious failure to follow that policy. The illustration is comprehensive in that it documents the consequences of the general policy decision to make restitution to governments and organizations rather than to individuals. In addition to the works of art, the Gold Train carried many other valuables indeed, the whole gamut of moveable assets. The disposition of all of these assets was subject to this decision.