[charlesdm]

I just read on Wikipedia that the exit tax was 25% from $700k, later revised downwards to $200k. I'm assuming that's on total assets, not just unrealised gains.

Obviously not defending what had happened here, but that doesn't seem unreasonable in a time of war? Currently the US also levies an exit tax of around 25% on unrealised gains.

At the time it was also quite easy for wealthy people to evade taxes and not be prosecuted for it, for the better part of the 20th century.

I'm assuming, at the time, people had more pressing issues to deal with than their money...