Yad Vashem rejected a donation offered by Christie's because the money comes from the sale of jewelry bought with money stolen from Jews during the Holocaust.
Yad Vashem confirmed the details to Israel Hayom and said that the refusal was regarding the specific sale. The Jerusalem Post reported Sunday evening that other Jewish organizations had received offers from the auction house to accept a donation but refused.
A few weeks ago, a storm erupted after it emerged that Christie's auction house in New York was expected to hold an auction of jewelry and gemstones bought with the money of a businessman who became rich as a result of forcibly acquiring Jewish companies before and during the Holocaust. This was despite protests by Jewish organizations in Israel and around the world, and the sale took place as usual.
Auction at Christie's, photo: AFP
The auction house was well aware of the source of the jewelry, which was purchased at appalling prices. According to them, the purpose of the sale is to help a philanthropic organization founded by the businessman's wife, who passed away last year. After being criticized, they declared that they intended to donate part of the profits to organizations engaged in Holocaust commemoration, but as it turns out, the organizations are not interested in the blood money.
The jewelry, about 700 in number, belonged to Heidi Horten, who inherited billions from her husband Helmut, a German billionaire 30 years her senior. As already mentioned, Horten made his fortune in a controversial way. Before the Holocaust, Jews were forced to sell their businesses to the Germans, thus acquiring companies at a price significantly lower than their true value.
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