Letter to the Secretary of State
April 18, 2006
Dr. Condoleeza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
Washington, D.C.
Re: Justice for German Victims of Ethnic Cleansing 1944-1950
Dear Madam Secretary,
For the last several years I have actively attempted to work with the State Department regarding compensation for German American victims of Ethnic Cleansing 1944-1950. I have written to both, you and your predecessor in this regard. Each time I write I am directed to another office, and that office like the one before it, simply leads me and German American victims on, doing nothing to assist us.
The latest person assigned our matter was Ambassador EB O’Donnell whose treatment of the matter has added insult to injury. After I thanked him for announcing that he, in his talks with the Croatian government, would represent all Americans, Jews and non-Jews alike, he misled us for over 6 months as you can see in the attached correspondence (dated 11/12/05, 11/30/05 and 12/09/05).
It appears that instead of representing the German American US citizens he, for reasons of his own, tried to isolate us from the talks with Croatia. This fact was confirmed to me when one of his assistants in his Office for Holocaust Issues informed me that he is only representing victims of the Holocaust.
Dear Madam Secretary, I find this behavior totally unacceptable. German Americans deserve better than that, especially in the face of the Statement by George W. Bush issued to our institute (attached). Ambassador O’Donnell should have been straight forward by telling that he is only being paid for his position as Director of the Office for Holocaust Issues. I can understand that nobody likes to do work for which he/she is not being paid for, but I find his behavior deceiving when he, by his statement to represent “all American citizens”, really meant only certain preferred victims of genocide. Only his assistant, Elizabeth Nakian, was honest and straight forward when she explained his position clearly. Dear Madam Secretary, on behalf of the German American citizens I urge you to create an office for the German American victims of the largest peacetime crime against humanity namely, Ethnic Cleansing 1944-1950. Please note that this is a direct quote by George W. Bush (see attached statement). Compensation for these victims is also in conformance with the resolution by the Congress in 1998.
It is common knowledge that your loyalty to President George W. Bush is beyond anybody’s doubt. It is also a known fact that the United States of America were never a party to the horrible crimes which were committed during the Ethnic Cleansing 1944-1950. To be sure the issue of this crime against 15 – 17 millions of German civilians is an issue of Human Rights, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. We are asking you to create an office for Ethnic Cleansing 1944-1950 immediately.
According to the US Census report German Americans represent the largest ethnic group in the US. How could this statement by George W. Bush be ignored: “When people cloud the memory of the Holocaust and the Ethnic Cleansing 1944-1950 with needless controversy, they diminish the moral lessons we must draw from it”.
While Ambassador O’Donnell is representing the victims of the Holocaust very well, the Department of State has to date neglected to establish an OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING 1944-1950 or even assigned some other office to cover this issue which is of great importance to German Americans, especially those who were victims. Surely it is time to name a high ranking official within the Department of State to represent the interests of German American victims. Please advise me as to what office has been assigned this responsibility, and when our representatives can meet with the ranking official to discuss our needs in this regards.
Sincerely,
Marianne Bouvier, M.D.
Coordinator, GWA/DWA
Executive Director, IGAR