US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1193

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, HR, Minorities 
SUBJECT: THE SAD STATE OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN OSIJEK 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF MITCH BENEDICT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
SUMMARY 
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1. (U) ON A RECENT VISIT TO OSIJEK WE STOPPED IN AT THE 
OFFICES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.  DOWN FROM A PRE-WORLD WAR 
    II POPULATION OF OVER 10,000, THERE ARE NOW ONLY 150 JEWS IN 
THE REGION, AND BY STRICT DEFINITION MOST OF THOSE WOULD NOT 
BE CONSIDERED JEWISH.  ELDERLY, POOR IN HEALTH AND RICHES, 
THE COMMUNITY FACES AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.  HOWEVER, 
RESTITUTION OF PROPERTY COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THEIR 
FINANCIAL STATUS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
THE JEWS OF EASTERN SLAVONIA 
---------------------------- 
 
2. (U) THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF OSIJEK (JCO) IS THE 
REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATION FOR ALL JEWS OF EASTERN SLAVONIA. 
 PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II, THIS REGION CONTAINED ABOUT 10,000 
JEWS THAT WERE DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL COMMUNITIES.  JEWS BEGAN 
TO LEAVE JUST PRIOR TO THE WAR; THOSE WHO REMAINED WERE 
DECIMATED BY THE HOLOCAUST.  FURTHER EMIGRATION OCCURRED IN 
1948-1952, WHEN THE CONSOLIDATION OF COMMUNISM AT HOME 
COINCIDED WITH THE BIRTH OF ISRAEL. 
 
3. (U) TODAY THERE ARE BARELY 150 JEWS IN THE WHOLE REGION. 
DARKO FISHER, HEAD OF THE JCO, SAID THAT OUTSIDE OSIJEK AND 
VUKOVAR THERE ARE ONLY SINGLE FAMILIES IN SOME OF THE LARGER 
TOWNS.  HOWEVER, BY STRICT CRITERIA MOST OF MEMBERS OF THE 
JCO COULD NOT BE COUNTED AS JEWS.  FISHER SAID AS LONG AS ONE 
GRANDPARENT WAS JEWISH, AND THE INDIVIDUAL HOLDS NO OTHER 
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION, THEY ARE WELCOME AS MEMBERS OF THE 
JEWISH COMMUNITY. 
 
4. (U) THERE ARE LESS THAN 10 YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, 
AND ALL OF THEM COME FROM MIXED MARRIAGES.  FISHER TOLD US 
THAT, GIVEN THE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, 
    AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY AT TIMES OF PRACTICING AND MAINTAINING 
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS, NO JEW BORN IN THE AREA EVEN PRIOR TO 
WORLD WAR II KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN OBSERVANT JEW.  THE 
PRIMARY CONCERNS OF THE JCO ARE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF 
ITS MOSTLY ELDERLY, IMPOVERISHED AND ILL MEMBERS. 
 
PROPERTY RESTITUTION 
-------------------- 
 
5. (C) THE JCO SUBMITTED A LIST OF 14 CONFISCATED OR 
NATIONALIZED PROPERTIES FOR WHICH THEY CLAIM RESTITUTION 
PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE OF JUNE 30, 1997.  TO DATE NOTHING HAS 
BEEN RESTITUTED.  FISHER WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO SHARE THE 
BLAME FOR LACK OF PROGRESS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND HE SAID HE 
HAD NO DOUBT THERE WAS "SOME BLOCKAGE" ON THE PART OF THE 
GOVERNMENT.  RETURN OR COMPENSATION FOR EVEN A FEW PROPERTIES 
WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE 
COMMUNITY. 
 
6. (SBU) INCLUDED AMONG THE PROPERTIES IS THE SITE OF FORMER 
OSIJEK SYNAGOGUE ON THE MAIN STREET IN THE CENTER OF OSIJEK. 
THE SYNAGOGUE WAS BURNED DOWN IN 1941, AND THE REMAINS WERE 
CLEARED IN 1952.  AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE JCO WAS GIVEN 
AN ALTERNATIVE PROPERTY AS A FORM OF COMPENSATION, BUT THAT 
TOO WAS CONFISCATED IN 1955.  A MIXED COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL 
BUILDING OCCUPIES THE SITE OF THE SYNAGOGUE TODAY.  THE 
THIRTEEN REMAINING PROPERTIES CONSIST OF BUILDINGS AND 
RESIDENCES -- THE RABBI'S HOUSE, A SCHOOL, OTHER PROPERTY 
RELATED TO THE SYNAGOGUE -- EITHER PURCHASED BY THE JCO OR 
WILLED TO THE JCO BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. 
 
    7. (C) FISHER SAID THE COURTS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND 
CONSEQUENTLY DO NOTHING.  SINCE 1997 THEY HAVE RECEIVED ONLY 
ONE COURT DECISION ASKING FOR FURTHER DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE 
OWNERSHIP.  HOWEVER, HE ASKED RHETORICALLY, IS THERE EVER 
GOING TO BE A DOCUMENT THAT PROVES THE PROPERTY WAS 
CONFISCATED BY THE NAZI REGIME? 
ROSSIN 
 
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