About The Coalition

During World War II, between March 1942 and August 1944, 76,000 Jews and tens of thousands of other “undesirables,” including American and Canadian airmen shot down over France, were forcibly deported from France to Nazi concentration camps on trains owned and operated by the French railroad, Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais (SNCF). SNCF collaborated with the Nazis and was paid, per head, per kilometer, to deliver thousands to their ultimate deaths.

In the 66 years since the end of World War II, SNCF has refused to acknowledge adequately its role in the Holocaust, has avoided taking any financial responsibility for its role, and now wishes to enter the high-speed rail market in the United States. If granted these lucrative contracts, SNCF would receive billions of American tax dollars, some of which would come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is a terrible irony that a percentage of these tax dollars would come from the very victims SNCF deported to concentration camps. The Coalition for Holocaust Rail Justice is comprised of victims and their family members, historians, community leaders, and volunteers committed to holding SNCF accountable.

To date, SNCF has never paid any reparations or provided any other restitution. In fact, according to a letter from California Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield, an SNCF representative recently informed him that “the company ‘would rather not do business in California’ than take any such actions.” Rather than heed the repeated calls from numerous legislators on the state and federal levels for corporate responsibility, SNCF has launched a massive PR campaign in the hopes of managing public opinion and winning billions in high-speed rail contracts.

SNCF’s recent decision to issue its first “apology” for its role in the Holocaust was a calculated gesture to ensure the company’s ability to compete for billions of American taxpayer dollars. This “apology” has been recognized by legislators, survivors, Holocaust experts, editorial boards, and the press in the United States and France as such. SNCF’s recent actions are an insult to its victims and to the memory of the Holocaust.  If SNCF’s regret is sincere, it must reach out to victims and their families and provide reparations.

Until SNCF provides full disclosure and reparations to its victims and their families, we will continue to seek justice for SNCF’s victims.