Holocaust: Railways' Role and Corporate Accountability

The Holocaust relied heavily on railways for transporting victims to death camps. Survivors have sought acknowledgment and atonement from European railway companies for their role. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision against survivors suing Hungary's railways highlights the ongoing struggle for accountability. Despite legal setbacks, public pressure has sometimes pushed rail companies to confront their complicity. The French national railways (SNCF) offer a case study in corporate accountability. During World War II, the SNCF played multiple roles, from victim to hero to perpetrator, transporting approximately 76,000 Jewish deportees. While the SNCF escaped legal liability, they commissioned studies, opened archives, and contributed to Holocaust commemoration. Compensation efforts, like the $60 million fund for survivors, extended beyond France. These actions underscore that while financial compensation is important, survivors also seek acknowledgment, the setting of the record straight, and a warning for the future.