Dr. Helen Junz

Professional Background

Dr. Helen Junz received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and an M.A. in economics from the New School for Social Research in New York. During her fellowship at the Museum, she was an economic and financial consultant. For her Charles H. Revson Foundation Fellowship for Archival Research, Dr. Junz conducted research for her project “The Treatment of Holocaust Era Assets: A Comparative View.”

Dr. Junz is best known for her extraordinary contribution to several national commissions charged with the investigation of Holocaust era assets including the van Kemenade Commission on the Dutch treatment of Holocaust era assets, the Bergier Commission in Switzerland, and the International Committee of Eminent Persons (Volcker Committee on Swiss dormant bank accounts). She has also conducted research on pre-war Jewish assets and the post-war treatment of these assets for the Austrian Historiker Commission. Dr. Junz is the former Director of Research into non-gold financial and economic assets for the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Era Assets in the United States, former Advisor to the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims, and former Advisor to the Special Masters for the Swiss Banks Claims Settlements. She has served as the Senior International Economist on the Council of Economic Advisors for the Executive Office of the President, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Commodities and Natural Resources for the United States Department of Treasury, and Vice President of the First National Bank of Chicago. She was also an Economic Advisor to the United Nations Compensation Commission on Kuwait.

Fellowship Research

During her tenure at the Museum, Dr. Junz compared the treatment of Holocaust era assets, drawing upon materials gathered by the U.S. Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Era Assets, the Bergier Commission, the van Kemande Commission, and associated commissions from the Netherlands, among others. Dr. Junz wrote a cross-national analysis of the wartime looting and post-war efforts at restitution and reparation.

Dr. Junz was in residence at the Mandel Center from October 1, 2003 to March 1, 2004.