Setting Switzerland’s record straight

The news that Switzerland turned Jews away from its borders during World War II is nothing we haven't heard before. The myth of Swiss neutrality is just that.

But now, thanks to the work of an international panel of historians, we have learned that the Swiss went so far as to hand some of the Jewish refugees directly to Nazi officers, thus ensuring their ultimate deaths.

The panel says 24,500 Jews were denied entry to Switzerland during the war years.

And while Switzerland was getting blood on its hands, it was ingesting the looted gold that was pouring in from Germany.

Those were not the acts of neutrality. Those were the acts of a country that was an accomplice to the Holocaust.

So what good does it do to dredge up history that is more than a half-century old?

First, it sets the record straight. It uncovers years of lies, making the people of Switzerland confront their embarrassing past.

Second, the lessons of Switzerland might prevent another country from following the same path in the future. History repeats itself and we need to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Third, the Swiss have been reluctant to meet their full financial obligations to Jewish families whose funds were confiscated. The latest report is further indication of Swiss misdeeds, and hopefully it will help unfreeze stolen accounts.

Fourth, more European countries might agree to allow historians to do a report on their actions during the Holocaust. There is still much to be learned from that era, no matter how embarrassing the lessons might be.

Unfortunately, because of the report, Swiss Jews face a backlash of anti-Semitism, according to Rolf Bloch, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Switzerland. The country's small Jewish community has experienced increasing hatred as a result of demands that the Swiss reimburse Jewish funds.

But Bloch is glad the report was issued. Ultimately, the truth about wartime responsibilities must be revealed. Only then can we hope to ensure that the slogan "Never again" is not just empty words.