UNITED RESTITUTION ORGANIZATION (URO)

The United Restitution Organization is a world-wide legal aid organization which assists those victims of Nazi persecution who otherwise would be unable to submit claims against the German and Austrian governments. The URO headquarters are in Frankfurt, Germany. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, President of the World Jewish Congress from 1948 to 1977, led the negotiations with Dr. Konrad Adenauer, West-German Chancellor, prior to the formulation and passing of the BEG (Federal Indemnification Law). In order to assist potential claimants, the URO was established in 1953. In Canada, the URO was founded in 1953 under the aegis of the Canadian Jewish Congress, with its head office in Montreal, offices in Toronto and Winnipeg, and facilities in Vancouver to assist applicants with the documentation of their claims. The URO offices in Vancouver and Winnipeg were closed in the 1970s. The Toronto office and the Montreal head office later closed as well. Claims assistance is now given to survivors in the context of these cities' Jewish federations in survivor assistance offices. The information in this collection constitutes a valuable resource for studies of the Holocaust period