61340 Vorabseiten_e - Unabhängige Expertenkommission Schweiz

Expenditure by the Central Directorate for Work Camps (Zentralleitung der
Arbeitslager, ZLA) is difficult to assess, although it can be assumed that the net
cost was 110 million francs. Apart from the work camps run by civilian authorities,
other financial responsibilities also fell to the Confederation which
assumed the costs for the army-run assembly camps, quarantine camps, and
reception camps, from which people were allotted to work camps or refugee
homes; for the expenses of the Police Division (around 30 million francs up to
1950); for reimbursements to the army territorial service amounting to
11 million francs; for expenditure on refugees who passed through Switzerland
(namely in 1945) of around 1.7 million francs; and for the cost of running the
EJPD Emigrants’ Office and the Refugee Section (5 million francs). 136
In conclusion, it can be stated that between 1939 and 1945 Federal expenditure
stemming from its refugee policy amounted to between 100 and
103 million francs; up until 1954 expenditure rose to 136 or
165.5 million francs, depending on the statistics used. A massive rise in Federal
expenditure is to be noticed from 1943 on. The question of cost, which in
particular had been raised earlier, was principally an argument put forward to
justify restrictive measures that were, in reality, based on other considerations.
The contributions made by the cantons varied greatly and were voluntary; either
individual refugees or relief organisations were the beneficiaries. The proposal
of a contribution towards overall Federal expenditure in this field was rejected
by a clear majority. After 1942, the general opinion was still that refugee relief
was a private matter, or at least the responsibility of the Federal authorities. The
attitude of Arnold Seematter, a member of the Bern Cantonal government who
in February 1943 objected to the generous use of Federal funds, proved to be
symptomatic: «The people of Switzerland should bear the consequences of its
generosity on its own.» 137 As far as the cantonal authorities were concerned, the
question of financial contributions was brought up again only after the war in
connection with permanent asylum when they, along with the Confederation
and the relief organisations, had to foot a third of the bill for supporting the
refugees who remained in Switzerland.
3.5 Crossing over the Border and Staying in Switzerland
On 22 August 1942, Eduard Gros crossed the Swiss border near Geneva
together with Hubert and Paul Kan. Shortly after entering the country illegally,
the three stateless Jews were arrested by the Geneva military police and driven
to the German customs post of La Plaine, 138 situated on Swiss territory, and then
sent off on foot to the border with occupied France. When the refugees caught
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