The author uses the term “constructing victimhood” to characterize this specific relation, an expression that might sound awkward in the context of Nazi victimization since terms like ‘construction’ or ‘production,’ when used to describe social, cultural and political phenomena, tend to convey the notion that something is invented or even fabricated, therefore not a given reality. It is of course not my intention to leave this impression since there is no doubt about the true nature of Nazi persecution. But instead, she uses the term in an attempt at capturing developments and phenomena of the immediate post-war era that testify to grappling with the extraordinary character of Nazi crimes.

Regula Ludi examines whether the successful resolution of Holocaust restitution claims is a landmark in establishing accountability for past wrongdoing and extending universal jurisdiction to the corporate realm. Focusing on the unique historical circumstances surrounding the successful legal battles, she asks how they affected our understanding of moral and political obligations associated with the Nazi past, and what implications their successful resolution has for future human rights campaigns