Railways were essential to carrying out the Holocaust - decades later, corporate reckoning continues

The article discusses the integral role of railways in the Holocaust, emphasizing that almost all victims were transported by train. Led by Holocaust scholar Raul Hilberg, survivors have sought acknowledgment from railway companies for their complicity in genocide. A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which denied a case against Hungary's state railways, highlights ongoing challenges in achieving accountability. The author recounts his research on the French national railways (SNCF) and its complex relationship with accountability, illustrating how companies can respond to historical injustices long after the events.

The Holocaust could not have happened without the railways, stressing the necessity of corporate acknowledgment and atonement for past atrocities. Survivors continue their fight for recognition.

Survivors have relied on public support to press rail companies on their complicity. The French national railways, known as SNCF, exemplified a slow path to accountability after the war.

Read at The Conversation