BALTIMORE – Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin announced today that the Romanian government has agreed to return the family home of a Baltimore woman that was confiscated during World War II under laws used to deprive Jews of property. Jacqueline Waldman of Baltimore will be leaving Baltimore on Dec. 29 to return to Romania where she will take possession of the property between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10, 2001.

During World War II, Aryan Laws were used to seize property and other valuables from Jews and other minority groups. In 1940, using the Aryan Laws, the Romanian government confiscated the property from Mrs. Waldman's father. Since that time, the home has been used by the Romanian government.

Mrs. Waldman, who teaches chemistry at Goucher College, first contacted Rep. Cardin in 1996 to seek help in getting the Romanian government to return the home. In her effort to regain the home, four Romanian courts declared her the "rightful heir" and ordered the home returned to her. Each time, Romanian officials refused to return the home and appealed the case, once even arguing that the Fascist-era laws used to seize the home were valid when the property was seized, and, therefore, were still valid.

"Jacqueline Waldman is a strong woman who would not let an injustice stand. I admire her greatly and I am delighted that the Romanian government decided to do the right thing. Unfortunately, we all know, there are too many situations similar to Mrs. Waldman's. My hope is that Mrs. Waldman's case will encourage them to keep up the fight for what is rightfully theirs," said Rep. Cardin.

The home is located in the Black Sea town of Constanza. In July, Rep. Cardin traveled with a Helsinki Commission delegation to Romania and presented Romanian President Emil Constantinescu with a personal letter urging the Romanian government to accept the decisions of Romanian courts returning the home to Mrs. Waldman. The Romanian government has agreed to stop appealing the case and return the property to Mrs. Waldman