Denying property, Jews seek their return

Why Returning Property?

During the Holocaust in many European countries, Jewish property was expropriated, and cadastral data was destroyed by governments under Nazi influence.

Some European governments, also pushed by the Council of Europe, have agreed that they have legal and moral responsibility for returning or ensuring compensation for property and property taken from Jews killed or fugitives.

Laws on return or restoration of property have been passed in many Central and Eastern European countries.

Where are the alleged property of Jews in Kosovo?

Nine years ago, on this property near the Kosovo Assembly, which is now a parking lot, several old buildings existed, among other things, aimed at building new objects.

Nexhat Konforti, Jewish from Pristina, claims this property is his legacy by Mother Safina Conforti. He says he has been 11 years in court processes to enjoy inheritance rights, but without success.

Nexhat Confort's mother was the daughter of a wealthy man from Novi Pazar and married in Pristina to a wealthy Jewish family, Asher.

With the beginning of the Holocaust in 1941, Safina had been rescued from Albanians in Berat, Albania, but in 1944 had returned to Pristina, convinced that the war had ended. But they were wrong. Then the whole family had been exiled to Germany's notorious Bergen Belsen camp, where only Safina and three children had escaped death.

Upon her return to Pristina, she was married again, and there was only Nexat, who lived with her mother until her death.

In 1947, Safina Confort had indicted the Yugoslav state in search of the return of its Holocaust - national property.

How will Kosovo operate?

In the government and the assembly, they have not confirmed the launch of procedures for implementation of this agreement.

International Law Professor Enver Hasani says that first Kosovo must adopt the relevant law, as most of the eastern states have done, excluding only Poland. According to him, this law should enable the restoration and compensation of property of the Jewish community that existed on Kosovo's territory.

The pre-reparatory restoration principle could be made in various ways; property return, long-term rent, long-term rent and other forms of compensation”, Hasani says.

If important state objects are built in Jewish property, according to Professor Hasani, compensation will have to happen again.

You have a synagogue in Croatia that's ground leveled. Now you compensate the value specifically for those buildings, if it can be returned, restoration, if possible. If not, then there are other ways of compensation that are legally called. Again, in Western culture, the property is sacred. It's not the word you're giving a gift to anyone, but it just needs to be back in 100 years, 200 years”, Hasani told Radio Free Europe.

In practices in other countries, when nonowned Jewish property is confirmed, they are given to Jewish associations management, profits from which to be used to finance Holocaust studies, education, and scholarships for students.

Artina Hamitaga from “ (Kosovo's Jewish body), which is one of three Jewish organisations in Kosovo, says that according to the data they have, the property identification process will not be a difficult process, since after the end of World War II, many Kosovo Jews have sold their properties.

“They have been forced, or sell property, or decide on behalf of someone else to have their shift to Israel possible. A significant part has moved to Belgrade. This means that most of them have been sold, or named after, someone else. And there are very few private properties left is the word, which is considered to be the” court disputes, Hamitaga says.

Does Kosovo have official evidence of these properties?

From the Property and Cadastra Agency, Free Europe told Radio that they have no record of Jewish property.

Jews in Kosovo

Unofficial data speaks that about 100 Jews live in Kosovo.

Before the Holocaust, about 500 Jews are believed to have lived in Kosovo. According to Professor Enver Hasani, Kosovar Jews were Seferd after coming from Spain.

The Sefardic Jews came from Spain. They have brought to this region Sultan Selimi, not only here but throughout the Ottoman Empire. Evidence also exists in Sarajevo and Skopje. European Jews are known as Escanazi”, Hasani explains.

After coming to Kosovo, the Jews had the highest concentration in Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Novoberda.

They moved to Pristina during the 20th century, when this city developed and converted to the area where trade was made. According to Kosovo's Cosovo Jewish Organisation) in Pristina, Jews were deployed mainly from Taukbashke to Tophane, along the river.