Queen Beatrix's state visit to Russia in June 2001 provided an impetus for dealing with the restitution of archival materials taken from the Netherlands during World War II. The Russian authorities decided to return 22 of the 31 collections and promised that the remainder will be returned after inventories have been compiled.
Dr Patricia Kennedy Grimsted provided current information about the situation in Russia.
The state of affairs in Belgium was discussed by Jacques Lust, member of the Parlementaire Studiecommissie joodse goederen (Parliamentary commission for the study of Jewish possessions), and Michel Vermote, Amsab-Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis (Amsab Institute of Social History).
Patricia Kennedy Grimsted is Senior Research Associate of the Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University, coordinator of the ArcheoBiblioBase directory and bibliographic database for Russian and Ukrainian archives, and fellow of the International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam.