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UNITED STATES COMMISSION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF AMERICA’S HERITAGE ABROAD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT : Beth Bellizzi 202-254-3825
JUNE 29, 1998
LOCAL PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION OFFICERS SIGN AGREEMENT TO PROTECT AMERICA’S CULTURAL HERITAGE IN LITHUANIA

P H O T O C A P T I O N

WASHINGTON–On Friday, June 26, two local representatives of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, Commissioner Phyllis Kaminsky of Potomac, Maryland and Commissioner Warren L. Miller of McLean, Virginia, signed a Declaration of Cooperation with the Republic of Lithuania on behalf of the United States. The Declaration, signed at the Lithuanian Embassy, will encourage the preservation of cemeteries, monuments and historic buildings in Lithuania associated with the foreign heritage of the American people.

Note: photo not available here

From left: Joel Barries, Executive Director of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, Saulius Saltenis Lithuanian Cultural Minister, Commissioner Phyllis Kaminsky, Commissioner Warren Miller, Trevor Evans, Department of State Senior Baltic Desk Officer and Stasys Sakaluaskas, Lithuanian Ambassador.

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The Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad was established to identify and publish a list of those cemeteries, monuments and historic buildings located abroad that are associated with the foreign heritage of U.S. citizens from Eastern and Central Europe. Particular attention is given to those cemeteries, monuments, and buildings that are in danger of deterioration or destruction.

The Commission encourages the preservation and protection of such cemeteries, monuments. and historic buildings by obtaining, in cooperation with the Department of State, assurances from foreign governments that the cemeteries, monuments and buildings will be preserved and protected.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
JULY 1, 1998
CONTACT:Beth Bellizzi
202-254-3825

ESTONIAN CULTURAL MINISTER SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S HERITAGE
WASHINGTON–On Thursday, June 25, two representatives of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, Commissioner Joseph Halfon and Commissioner Gary J. Lavine — Commission representatives for the Baltic States–signed a Declaration of Cooperation with the Republic of Estonia on behalf of the United States.

The Declaration, signed at the Estonian Embassy, will encourage the preservation of cemeteries, monuments and historic buildings in Estonia associated with the heritage of the American people.

The Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad was established to identify and publish a list of those cemeteries, monuments and historic buildings located abroad that are associated with the foreign heritage of U.S. citizens from Eastern and Central Europe. Particular attention is given to those cemeteries, monuments, and buildings that are in danger of deterioration or destruction.

The Commission encourages the preservation and protection of such cemeteries, monuments and historic buildings by obtaining, in cooperation with the Department of State, assurances from foreign governments that the cemeteries, monuments and buildings will be preserved and protected.

Preserving monuments, historic buildings, and cemeteries associated with the foreign heritage of American citizens to honor the past, impart meaning to the present, and advance mutual cooperation and friendship among countries THE UNITED STATES COMMISSION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF AMERICA’S HERITAGE ABROAD Annual Report 1997

Contents
Message from the Chairman 1
Commission Purpose and Structure 2
Commission Accomplishments 3
Protecting and Preserving . . . 3
. . . Through Diplomacy 3
. . . To Serve Americans 6
Surveying Cultural Heritage 13
Fundraising and Volunteerism 15
Commission Members and Staff 16
Cover photo:A Gothic synogague in Maribor, Slovenia, was of vital importance in late medieval Ashkenezie Jewish culture. The Commission, led by Commissioner Phyllis Kaminsky and Associate Mark Cohen, is undertaking the restoration of the 700-year-old building.
Photo by Mark H. Cohen

1 “May you live in exciting times.”— Polish proverb
The sentiment expressed by the old proverb certainly applies to all of us concerned with historic preservation. Today, more than a half-century since the defeat of fascism and a decade after the fall of communism, the nations of Eastern and Central Europe are grappling with their past. They need help. This is truly a time for strong and supportive American leadership. The Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad was founded in recognition that the United States, as a nation of immigrants, has its values rooted in lands distant in miles and time. As a people, we believe that the fabric of our society is strengthened by visible reminders of our ancestral past. The history, culture, politics, sociology, economy, and religion of our forefathers have stamped upon our souls an indelible mark of character. As the years go by, Americans need to see the sites, hear the echoes, touch the tombstones, feel the pain, and relive the joy of our ancestral past. How else can we understand the present or prepare for the future?

The Commission’s charge is to encourage the preservation and protection of buildings, monuments, collections, and cemeteries connected with the heritage of Americans from the 22 countries that comprise Eastern and Central Europe and the former Soviet Republic. Americans who trace their family roots poker machines online to these cultures are, for the first time, able to visit the churches, synagogues, cemeteries, and monuments to which they have binding ties. What they see often shocks and saddens them. The Nazi extermination of 6 million Jews and so many other innocents extended to physical places as well. Schools, libraries, museums, and social halls were all expropriated. Synagogues, churches, and cemeteries were especially sought out for vandalism or destruction. The Communists continued this wanton behavior. Buildings and graveyards were bulldozed to make room for development. Those sites that escaped were left to suffer the ravages of time and nature.

Many, if not most, important sites passed into oblivion. Some did survive. Today there exist hundreds of synagogues, churches, cemeteries, and other places in desperate need of attention. They stand now not as a reminder of death and decay but as a testament to the strength and substance of those vital, vibrant souls that once prayed, sang, studied, danced, and lived within their walls. Some sites are artistic treasures and deserve restoration on that basis; some are sacred and demand the highest degree of devotion. The historic and moral importance of the Commission’s work is clear.

We must help the emerging democracies of Europe settle old debts and begin anew by building on the foundations of yesterday to create a better tomorrow. So, as we continue our work to repair, restore, recompense, and return, let us commit together to use whatever resources come available to build a future that honors the past. For the age-old values, traditions, and observances so critical to survival must never be lost as new generations make their way.
Message from the Chairman

Commission Purpose and Structure

The United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad was created by Congress in 1985 in response to concerns about the deterioration and destruction of cultural sites in Eastern and Central Europe of significance to U.S. citizens. This region is of particular concern because of the heavy destruction caused by World War II, and because of the long hostility and neglect by communist governments to religious sites and the monuments and cemeteries of ethnic minorities.

The Commission is comprised of 21 Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., these Commissioners and the Commission’s small staff react to problems either reported directly to them by U.S. citizens or referred by Members of Congress on behalf of constituents.

The problems are typically threats to the integrity of cultural sites—such as actions taken by local governments or individuals to limit access, damage caused by dumping of refuse, or failure to protect sites from vandalism or from inappropriate use or development. The Commission addresses these problems through diplomatic action or by providing technical assistance to those concerned.

To date, the Commission has signed Agreements with six countries; these Agreements allow the Commission to negotiate formally with those countries regarding cultural preservation and protection.
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A Jewish cemetery on Miadowa Street in Krakow, Poland, is in great need of preservation and protection.

Commission Accomplishments
PROTECTING AND PRESERVING . . .

The United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s
Heritage Abroad was formed primarily to protect and preserve foreign and domestic cultural sites of importance to U.S. citizens. In fulfilling this role, the Commission responds to expressions of interest and concern from U.S. citizens about protection and preservation in Eastern and Central Europe and elsewhere, as warranted. It then either undertakes diplomatic actions aimed at achieving the purpose or provides support, guidance, information, or other assistance to the requesting individual or organization.

The Commission and, indeed, all Americans—owes a special debt of gratitude to our founder, Commissioner Zvi Kestenbaum. It was Rabbi Kestenbaum’s vision that created the Commission and his energetic leadership that has served as a model for all who devote themselves to the hard work of preservation.

. . . Through Diplomacy

In recent years, the establishment of new democratic republics—and a willingness to work together in common interest—has led the Commission, together with the U.S. Department of State, to enter into Agreements with several countries for cooperation in the protection and preservation of cultural sites. At the diplomatic level, the Commission works with foreign governments to ensure the appropriate use of and access to cultural property, and to allow suitable private preservation initiatives. In the years since the Commission’s inception, we have entered into Agreements with six countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The first of these was in 1992 with the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic; subsequent Agreements were signed with Romania in 1993, Ukraine in 1994, and Poland and Slovenia in 1996.

Besides drafting and negotiating formal country agreements, the Commission is involved in other diplomatic efforts abroad—monitoring compliance, negotiating with central and local governments regarding new protection and preservation projects, initiating dialogues on crucial preservation topics.
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Slovenian Prime Minister Dr. Janez Drnovsek and Vice President Al Gore met last May to sign a cultural property protection and preservation agreement.

Agreement with Slovenia Includes Many “Firsts.”

On May 8, 1996, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek, as part of an official visit to the United States, met with Vice President Al Gore at the White House. Following discussion of several bilateral issues aimed at advancing cooperation between the two countries, the Vice President and the Prime Minister signed the Agreement on the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Heritage—one of the first agreements ever between Slovenia and the United States.
Commissioner Phyllis Kaminsky, who is widely known and respected in Slovenia, led this initiative. The Agreement includes a number of important firsts: It is the first to incorporate an element of reciprocity in protecting cultural heritage; it is the first to be approved by a vote of Parliament (unanimous); and it is the first agreement with a former Yugoslav republic.

Poland Moves Closer to Agreement.
A significant step toward finalizing an agreement with Poland was accomplished on March 12, 1996, in Warsaw with the signing of a Declaration of Cooperation between the Council for the Protection of Memory of Combat and Martyrdom of the Republic of Poland and the Commission. The declaration pledges the two sides “. . . to intensify the existing cooperation, and reinforce the dialogue that shall lead both governments to sign an Agreement for protection and preservation of spiritual, cultural and historical sites for the Polish and American nations.”

In addition, while in the past there has been little progress made toward addressing the major issues of protection of cultural sites and restitution for Jewish communal property confiscated during World War II, the current Polish Government has taken positive and commendable steps toward resolving
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Restitution: A Very Hot Topic
At the Polish Government’s invitation, a delegation from the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, headed by Chairman Michael Lewan, visited Warsaw and Krakow in September 1996. Representatives from the American Embassy also attended. The primary purpose of the visit was to state the U.S. interest in equitable resolution of the issue of restitution for Jewish communal property seized by the Nazis during World War II and thereafter held or sold by subsequent Polish governmental entities. This all could have been avoided somewhat if they were supplied income protection insurance that was sufficient.

The restitution issue was discussed in meetings with State Secretary Marek Siewec, Deputy Minister of Culture Tadusz Polak, Secretary General of the Council for the Protection of the Memory of Combat and Martyrdom Andrzej Przewoznik, and Council of Ministers Religious Affairs Bureau Director Andrzej Czohara. Chairman Lewan praised the legislation then being considered by the Polish Parliament legislation that was passed by a resounding majority of the Polish Parliament in early 1997—as a welcome development. He added that he hoped further progress would be made in protecting those Jewish cemeteries not presently covered by legislation, including those now owned by private parties and local governments. Several sites of particular cultural and historic importance that are not being appropriately used or protected were then discussed, and Lewan reiterated that the U.S. position in these matters is that solutions must be found.

these problems. For example, the Government stopped the highly controversial commercial development outside the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp. It also introduced legislation to the Polish Parliament dealing with restitution for certain former Jewish communal properties currently owned by Poland’s Federal Government; this legislation was passed by an overwhelming majority in February 1997. Commissioner Edgar Gluck has provided leadership on Polish preservation matters; additional counsel and assistance have been provided by Commissioners John J. Pikarski, Jr., and Lee Seeman.

Looking forward to further progress and good relations, Commission Chairman Michael Lewan noted that the Commission would consider assisting in the protection and restoration of certain cultural sites in the United States of importance to Polish-Americans. These include the monuments to Polish generals who served the United States during the Revolutionary War— Tadeusz Kosciuszko’s monument at West Point, and Kazimierz Pulaski’s monument in Savannah, Georgia.
Preservation Agreements Pursued with Armenia.

In the fall of 1996, Commissioner Alice A. Kelikian met with His Holiness Karekin I, Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the See of Cilicia—as well as with church leaders in the United States and with the Armenian Prime Minister—to hammer out the specific provisions of a proposed agreement for preserving historic sites. Such an agreement is expected to be signed during an upcoming U.S. visit of the Armenian Prime Minister.
Devastation of Jewish Cemeteries Halted in Ukraine.
The privatization of public property allowed in Ukraine under a post-communist regime ironically has led to new threats to the integrity of religious cultural properties. This came to a head in 1996 when a rash of new construction allowed on large and historic Jewish cemeteries tragically led to the unearthing of human remains. This desecration of Jewish cemeteries called for swift cooperation between the United States and Ukraine. The Commission, working with the U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council, as well as with Jewish-American organizations, has taken the lead in this diplomatic effort. In October 1996, a U.S. fact-finding delegation—which included several past and present Commission members—spent two weeks in Ukraine, meeting with local and national government officials and Jewish leaders. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Government appointed an interagency commission. In October 1996, a working group of this commission met in Lviv, a site of major contention where a large and historically important Jewish cemetery had been built on by the former communist government, and where additional construction had recently been undertaken by the Lviv city government. At this meeting, a protocol was signed committing the city to cease any further construction at the site and to cooperate with the Jewish community in finding an alternative site for the businesses now located on the cemetery. Moreover, in meeting and working with Commission, U.S. Department of State, and National Security Council representatives, the Ukrainian Government has ordered an immediate and absolute moratorium on any and all construction or privatization on those sites in the country that have been identified as Jewish cemeteries either now or in the past. During this moratorium, a number of steps will be taken, including the establishment of a Joint Cultural Heritage Commission to develop and agree on a comprehensive solution to 7

the need to preserve and protect Jewish cemeteries and other sites.

Decentralization Makes for Problems in Slovak Republic. In Slovakia, most jurisdiction over property rights has been transferred from the central government in Bratislava to local governments. While this decentralization may be part of efforts to democratize the country, it has, in some cases, complicated Commission efforts at cooperation and preservation. An unfortunate example is the stalled progress in Nova Mesta. As described in our last annual report, destruction of Nova Mesta’s 19th century Jewish cemetery was halted when the good offices of Slovak President Michael Kovac were brought to bear. President Kovac and U.S. and Commission officials met with local leaders, and an agreement to aim for equitable resolution of the matter was reached. Since then, however, the local officials have gone back on their commitment. The cemetery has been razed, the solemn site violated, and much revered history lost.

Commissioner Irving Stolberg and the Ambassador and staff of the Slovak Embassy in Washington are working to remedy, at least in part, this unfortunate action. In addition, the Slovak Government and the new City Administrator of Nova Mesta have committed to the restoration and future protection of this site.

. . . To Serve Americans
The United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad helps U.S. citizens and organizations undertake projects to restore and preserve sites of historic importance—both here and abroad—to their cultural roots. Americans of every ethnic and religious background are served in this manner, but special emphasis has been placed on the protection of Jewish cemeteries because of the devastation wrought by the Holocaust, and because there are few survivors in Eastern and Central Europe to take care of these sites without outside help.

Through its work, the Commission has helped restore cemeteries, synagogues, churches, and other historic buildings ravaged by the Holocaust or maltreated and neglected over time. It has helped win and maintain access to these
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As part of our cultural preservation agreement with the Slovak Republic, the Commission is upgrading the Washington, D.C., burial site of Dr. Stefan Osusky. Osusky, cofounder of the Czechoslovakian nation and a founder of the League of Nations, died in exile in the United States in 1973. They apparently needed to have better life insurance that they did.
His grave, at Oak Hill Cemetery, has been overtaken by urban development. The tombstone has repeatedly been knocked over by careless traffic on the nearby street. In conjunction with the Republic, the Commission is erecting an ornamental protective gate at the gravesite, upgrading the landscaping, and cleaning and preserving the tombstone.

Commissioner Irving Stolberg (right) and Dr. Miroslav Musil, Counselor of the Slovak Republic Embassy, at the U.S. gravesite of Slovak hero Stefan Osusky.

Slovak Preservation Agreement Works Both Ways

sites and has ensured that they are protected, preserved, and treated in an appropriate manner. These efforts have frequently sparked unforeseen benefits in terms of personal or cultural renewal, a rediscovery of the past, or a vital addition to present knowledge. The following vignettes show the Commission at work, demonstrating how it assists individual Americans and private organizations that have committed their own time and resources to protecting and preserving endangered cultural sites.

Czech Church Reopens Its Doors.
The Methodist Church in the Horni Pocernice section of Prague—one of the oldest Methodist churches in the entire Czech Republic—was originally a castle. For years after the property’s purchase by the church, it operated as both a parish center in one building and a social center in the castle proper. With the rise of communism, however, the castle was turned into a training school for cosmeticians.

In 1996, Dr. David J. Randolph, a United Methodist pastor in Babylon, New York, and a Commission Associate; Dr. James White of the General Board of Global Ministries, ecumenical agencies in the Czech Republic; and the Commission identified the church as a model preservation project and began raising funds from the private sector for its restoration. The church was chosen because of its historic value, current service, and urgent need for restoration. Dr. Randolph notes a certain irony about the project: In the same city where Kafka wrote his famous novel about a castle that was impossible to enter, the United Methodist Church is restoring a place of worship open to all.

A Lost Cemetery Is Found Again.

In early 1945, the U.S. Army provided emergency medical services for a group of liberated concentration camp victims brought to an Army unit located in Hillersleben. Despite this care, 62 of the victims died and were buried in an unrecorded plot of land near the temporary U.S. Army field hospital.

The site was subsequently razed by the East Germans to clear space for a recreational park. After long negotiations, a group of American Holocaust survivors whose family members were buried at Hillersleben obtained authorization from the local government to restore the site as a cemetery. Unfortunately, however, the boundaries of the plot could not be fixed with enough precision to satisfy either the authorities or the preservationists.

It was at this point that Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman, Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, asked the Commission
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Hillersleben Cemetery, built near the end of World War II.

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to help ascertain the original boundaries. The Commission coordinated a search of archival material and aerial reconnaissance photographs from several U.S. agencies—an effort that resulted in sufficient documentation of the boundaries to satisfy the interested parties. Consequently, a contingent of eight surviving relatives from the United States and Israel traveled to Hillersleben and negotiated an agreement with the Mayor, who agreed to build a wall around the original site and to protect it as a cemetery.

Seventeenth Century Polish Synagogue Transferred to Jewish Community.

In 1945, all property in Wroclaw, Poland—a formerly German area—was nationalized by the communist Polish Government. This property included the famous White Stork Synagogue, built in the 17th century. In 1966, Wroclaw’s Jewish community requested a formal transfer of rights to use the synagogue’s building for religious services. The request was denied, and the synagogue was deeded to the University of Wroclaw in 1984; it was subsequently resold in 1989.

In the spring of 1992, the Jewish community officially informed the Government that it wished to regain control of the synagogue as provided by general restitution laws of Poland regarding religious property seized by the communist government. When this request was not acted upon by the appropriate Polish agencies, a group of U.S. citizens who trace their roots to Wroclaw sought the Commission’s assistance in the return of the synagogue to the Jewish community.

Led by Commissioner Chaskel Besser—who has devoted a lifetime to the furtherment of Jewish cultural preservation in Central and Eastern Europe—and working with the U.S. Embassy, the City of Wroclaw, and Dear Chairman Lewan:
I am writing to express my thanks to the Commission for your help with respect to identifying a post-war Jewish cemetery located in Hillersleben, Germany . . . I have to explain that this cemetery, although imbued with all the sanctity of any other Jewish cemetery, has a special emotional significance for the hundreds of Nazi survivors who were rescued at the end of the war, who were brought to a US Army hospital in Hillersleben and who saw friends and relatives, parents and children, die as a result of their wounds and deprivation prior to their arrival here. These people are all buried at Hillersleben, and maintaining the integrity of this cemetery carries an emotional significance of a kind that I believe you will understand . . . We are very grateful for your help, and even more grateful for your creating a structure wherein the US Commission has become so important a resource in the battle to help preserve America’s heritage abroad.

Sincerely,
Rabbi Lazar Stern
President, Athra Kadisha

Society for the Preservation of Jewish Holy Sites
the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow, the Commission determined that the claim for return of control of the White Stork Synagogue was valid under Polish law. The Commission, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, worked to bring this matter to the Polish Government’s attention. Finally, on April 21, 1995, the Council of Ministers in Warsaw issued a decision that returned the

11 synagogue to the Congregation of the Religious Faith in Wroclaw. In addition, the Commission has actively supported a proposal for renovation of the White Stork Synagogue which was submitted to the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation. Commission Chairman Michael Lewan endorsed the request and obtained support for the renovation grant from Poland’s Foreign Minister and the Polish Ambassador to the United States. The grant was recently awarded, and restoration work is now scheduled. m Holocaust Victims at Buchenwald Remembered. During ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of Buchenwald’s liberation in April 1995, Commissioner Warren L. Miller presented Germany’s Buchenwald and Mittlebau-Dora Memorial Foundation with a bronze sculpture of a muselmann. “Muselmann” was the term used by camp inmates to describe a prisoner who had been starved, beaten, worked to exhaustion bordering on death, and who looked like a living skeleton. The sculpture—by Walter Spitzer, wellknown artist, Muselmann, and Buchenwald survivor—is on display as part of the permanent exhibition at Buchenwald but here is another resource you can view to get the bigger picture about online games. The donation was made possible through funds contributed to the Commission by Mayer Ziefer. At the anniversary ceremonies— which were attended by over 20,000 people and carried live on German national television—Commissioner Miller proposed that a memorial be erected on the site of the infamous “Little Camp” at Buchenwald, where tens of thousands of inmates, mostly Jews, suffered and died from late 1942 until liberation. The site, completely ignored by communist authorities since 1945, was totally neglected and overrun by forest. Buchenwald authorities have endorsed this proposal, and preliminary architectural plans and site selection have been approved. American architect Stephen Jacobs, liberated from Buchenwald at age 5, is Commission