Dutch Railway Compensation

This program is now closed. The following information is for historical purposes only.

The Claims Conference wishes to inform Holocaust survivors and the families or heirs of Holocaust victims, who were transported to concentration and extermination camps during World War II by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the Dutch state railway company, that they may be eligible to receive a lump-sum payment from a fund established by NS. This program is subject to Dutch law.

At the end of June 2019, NS announced that it will compensate Holocaust survivors and the families or heirs of Holocaust victims who were deported on its trains to concentration and extermination camps during World War II when the Netherlands was under Nazi-German occupation.  All determinations are made based on November 27th, 2018, the date the compensation program was developed.

The deadline to submit the electronic application: August 5th, 2020.

The Criteria:

  1. The applicant must be from the Jewish, Roma and Sinti communities
  2. Transported from the Netherlands to concentration camps and extermination camps outside the Netherlands.
  3. In addition, those transported to Westerbork, Vught or Amersfoort by order of the occupying forces with a view of transporting them to concentration or extermination camps outside the Netherlands.
  4. Survivors who were still alive on 27th November 2018. If they are no longer alive, their widow/widower is eligible. If there is no widow/widower, the children of the survivor are jointly eligible.

Exception: Those who were not placed in Camp Westerbork (then still a refugee camp) by order of the Dutch government in the period October 1939 to 1 July 1942 and were not transported from there to concentration or extermination camps abroad, are not eligible for the Scheme.

Payment Amounts:

  • NS will pay €15,000 to Jewish, Roma and Sinti survivors who were transported to concentration or extermination camps and who were alive as of November 27, 2018.
  • NS will also pay €7,500 to the widows/widowers and/or heirs of those who perished during or after the war.
  • Children of survivors who are still alive may jointly qualify for a payment as follows:
    • if the oldest child still alive was born before 8 May 1945, a payment of €7,500 for the children collectively;
    • if the oldest child was born after that date, a payment amounting to €5,000 for the children collectively.

For complete eligibility guidelines, payment guidelines and application please visit the Foundation for Individual Allowance for Victims of WWII Transport and NS at  https://commissietegemoetkomingns.nl.


FAQs

How do I apply for this program?

The application is available at  https://commissietegemoetk101.mendixcloud.com/index.html. The application must be completed and submitted online. There is no paper application available.

When may applications be submitted?

Applications may be submitted for one (1) year beginning August 5th, 2019. The deadline is August 5th, 2020.

How should one apply? From where does one obtain an application?

NS established the Foundation for Individual Allowance for Victims of WWII Transport and NS to administer the compensation payments. The application is available at the Foundation’s website:  https://commissietegemoetkomingns.nl.

You will answer questions on the online application and be given an opportunity to upload the documents needed to support your application. You will be notified of the Committee’s decision regarding your application by email.

Please note: The foundation will offer support for individuals who do not have access to a computer or have the assistance necessary to complete an application online. The contact information can be found below.

How long does the application process take?

Processing time for an application will not exceed 13 weeks. The processing time will be delayed by any request for further documentation from the applicant until such documentation has been successfully submitted. Applicants will be notified in the event the Committee requires more time. Applicants will be notified of the Committee’s decision regarding your application by email.

In-depth information about this program and the criteria can be found here: https://commissietegemoetkomingns.nl/app/uploads/2019/08/payment-scheme.pdf

What kind of documentation will I need to apply?

All applicants will need an ID and a recent bank statement. If you are next of kin, you will need to prove a relationship to the survivor and a document from the Personal Records Database  (BRP) will be required. You can request a BRP extract from the municipality where you are registered. If you are based outside the Netherlands you will need an equivalent of this document, being a formal confirmation of your personal data as well as your family relationship to the survivor. You may also need a Certificate of Inheritance.

A chart detailing which documentation is needed according to the type of applicant (survivor, widow, child, heir) can be found here: https://commissietegemoetkomingns.nl/app/uploads/2019/08/documents-application.pdf

Could I be eligible for more than one type of payment?

Yes, scenarios describing how and when this may be applicable can be found here: https://commissietegemoetkomingns.nl/app/uploads/2019/08/payment-scheme-example-scenarios.pdf

Can I appeal if I am rejected?

Yes, an independent complaints committee has been established for this purpose. If you are rejected, information regarding the complaint process will be in the letter you receive.

Is there a contact number for questions about the application procedure?

Free support is available for individuals who are unable to obtain assistance from their family or friends. If you require support, please contact one of the following organizations:

JMW: +31 088 – 165 22 00

Stichting Pelita: +31 088 – 330 51 11

The Foundation Helpdesk: +31 (0)88 792 6250 only on Dutch working days between 10 a.m. and 12 noon

Other FAQ:

I was in a work camp, am I eligible?

Concentration camps and extermination camps do not include prisoner of war camps, prisons, houses of correction, employment camps, factories and/or work camps.

What if multiple children of the survivor submit an application?

All children of the same survivor are entitled to an equal share of the compensation. The compensation will be paid out in full to the child who submits the first application for the relevant survivor, subject to the obligation of that child to share the compensation equally with the other child/children who were still alive on 27 November 2018.

How is a legal heir defined?

Heirs take the place of a natural person who, based on this scheme, would have been entitled to an individual compensation on 27 November 2018, but died on or after 27 November 2018. The compensation will be paid out in full to the heir who submits the first application for the deceased, subject to the obligation for that heir to share the compensation with the other heirs (if applicable), in which case the entitlement of the heirs will be determined by the law of inheritance.

If I think I might be eligible for more than one payment, how do I proceed?

Implementation of this scheme may result in an applicant being entitled to multiple compensations (for example both as a survivor and as a widow/widower and/or as a child), for which separate applications must be submitted.

Will this compensation affect my tax status and/or benefits?

The applicant accepts that payment of the compensation may, under certain circumstances, result in a (tax) levy being imposed on the applicant. This includes taxation by foreign authorities in the event of payment to an applicant residing outside of the Netherlands.

How soon after I am approved will I be paid?

Where possible, compensation will be paid out to the applicant within fourteen (14) days of a decision.

My bank is under sanctions or cannot receive payments from outside of my country:

Compensations will only be paid into a bank account abroad if (international) laws and regulations allow.

The Claims Conference is not involved in the implementation, administration or application processing of these Dutch Railway payments. The information given here is merely information of a general nature. It does not constitute legal advice and is not legally binding. It is only a summary of certain points and not a concrete and complete opinion on the programs and regulations of the competent authorities and governments. This information may also not meet the specific needs, interests or circumstances of individual applicants. The individual relationships are different and the applicants should seek individual advice.  The Claims Conference provides information of a general nature to the individual relief and support organizations; however, each facility is responsible for the information it shares. The information above has been reproduced to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing; however, it may change at any time.