What happened to the possessions that the Jews left behind during and after the Holocaust? Apartments, furniture, bed linens, kitchenware, cars, cash, bank accounts (in Germany and abroad), and of course the offices, the stores, the
factories, etc. The appropriation of assets from German Jews during the Third Reich benefited virtually every other German citizen. It was not the Gestapo who invaded Jewish homes in order to confiscate all property, from bank accounts to bed linens - it was the German tax officials. While larger assets went to the tax offices, smaller assets and goods were sold to friends and neighbours in public auctions of "Non- Aryan" property. Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Verhoeven's documentary documents the bizarre competition that developed between bureaucrats as to how to organize the robbery of the Jews prior to their deportation and death. Until just several years ago, the documents proving this planned expropriation were lost, destroyed or hidden away. This excellent film was an international success, received many prizes and was nominated for an Academy Award as best foreign language film.