Information Issued by the Association of Jewish Refugees in Great Britain
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S^.' VOL XXI No. 1 January, 1966 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN GREAT BRITAIN 8 FAIRFAX MANSIONS, FINCHLEY RD, (corner Fairfax Rd.). London. N.W.S Office and Consulting Hours: Telephone: MAIda Vale 9096 7 (General OAcc and Welfare ter thc Aged). Monday to Thursday lOa.m.—lp.m. 3—6p.m. MAIda Vale 4449 (Employment Agency, annually licensed by the L.C.C.. and Social Services Dept.) Friday IOa.m.—lp.m, must warn the Federal Government not to destroy by new measures, which financially DEFERMENT OF COMPENSATION PAYMENTS mean a saving of 400 million marks out of an annual budget of 60,000 million marks, Widespread Protests the improved atmosphere in German-Jewish relations." On December 9, 1965, the draft of the so- and the Bundesrat and the Prime Ministers called " Haushaltssicherungsgesetz " sub of the Lander, protesting strongly against "AUFHEBUNG VERBRIEFTER RECHTE" mitted by the Federal Government was the inclusion of indemnification payments passed by the Bundestag with certain in the proposed budgetary measures. The Schreiben des Praesidenten des Council, amendments and against the votes of the Vice-President of the Council, Dr. W. Bres Dr. Siegfried Moses, an den Bundeskanzler Social Democrats. The Bill carries a provi lauer, was also a member of a delegation Jerusalem, den 28. November, 1965 sion which will affect payments under the representing major .Jewish organisations in Sehr geehrter Herr Bundeskanzler, Federal Indemnification Law. The relevant Britain which called on the Federal German clause (Article 17) reads as follows : Ambassador, Herr Herbert Blankenhorn. Die Conference on Jewish Material Claims The delegation lodged a strong protest against Germany und unser Council of Jews " Das Bundesgesetz zur Entschadigung against the postponement of compensation from Germany haben Ihnen — letzterer in fiir Opfer der nationalsozialistischen Ver payments to the victims of Nazi persecu seinem Brief vom 11. November, 1965 — folgung vom 29. Juni 1956 (Bundesgesetz tion, stressing that the proposed measures dargelegt, welch ernste Besorgnis in den an blatt 1 S.559), zuletzt geandert durch das would seriously undermine confidence in der Wiedergutmachungsgesetzgebung inter Zweite Gesetz zur Aenderung des Bun the sincerity of the Federal German Govern essierten Kreisen die Ankuendigung hervor desentschadigungsgesetzes vom 14. Sep ment's repeated declarations of its inten gerufen hat, dass die Ansprueche aus dem tember 1965 (Bundesgesetzblatt I S.1315), tion to redress the acts committed by the Bundesentschaedigungsgesetz Gegenstand der ^i\t mit folgender Massgabe : Nazis. The Ambassador undertook to trans Kuerzungen sein sollen, die das von der 1. Die Aufwendungen fiir die Geld mit the protest to his Government. Bundesregierung vorgeschlagene Haushalts leistungen nach diesen Gesetzen wer Elaborating on the Council's letter to the sicherungsgesetz vorsieht; sie haben ihre den fiir die Rechnungsjahre 1966 und Chancellor, and referring to the widespread Stellungnahme gegen den vorgeschlagenen 1967 auf jeweils 1.900.000.000 Deutsche concern among Nazi victims in Israel, Dr. Entwurf eingehend begruendet. Ich halte Siegfried Moses (Jerusalem), President of mich fuer verpflichtet, die Ihnen vorliegenden Mark festgesetzt. grundsaetzlichen Darlegungen dadurch zu 2. Die Bundesregierung wird ermach the Council sent a letter to the Chancellor, the full text of which is published on this ergaenzen, dass ich auf die tiefe Beunruhi- tigt, durch Rechtsverordnung Vom- gung und Depression hinweise, die die Nach hundertsatze fiir die Hohe der durch page. 'I'he proposed measure has been met by richten von der geplanten Finanzregelung bei Geldleistungen in den Rechnungs- den in Israel lebenden Wiedergutmachungs jahren 1966 und 1967 zu erfiillenden strong criticism in the national press of this country and abroad. In its leader on berechtigten ausgeloest haben. Anspriiche festzusetzen. Anspriiche auf Bekanntlich hat sich in Israel neben einer laufende Renten sowie Anspriiche auf December 10, 1965, the "Guardian" writes : " The Germans would do well to grossen Anzahl von aus Deutschland stam Heilverfahren nach diesem Gesetz menden juedischen Familien auch der groes bleiben unberiihrt." remember that this is a sensitive issue affecting the image of Germany in the world sere Teil derjenigen niedergelassen, die erst In the original Governmental draft it was at large. Memories are not so short that nach 1953 die Laender des Ostens verlassen envisaged that the implementary orders the events of twenty-five years ago can so konnten. Sie insbesondere muessen es als should stipulate "einheitliche Vomhun- easily be forgotten. The desire for recon irrefuehrend empfinden, wenn durch die dertsatze ". Later the word " einheitliche " ciliation is there—the younger generation Ankuendigung, dass die laufenden Jahres- was deleted and, according to a statement takes it for granted—but all will be in vain zahlungen unberuehrt bleiben, der Eindruck by the Federal Minister of Finance, Dr. if the victims of Nazism are not properly hervorgerufen werden kann, als seien soziale Dahlgriin, the Implementary Order will cared for." Gesichtspunkte ausreichend beruecksichtigt; take into account the claimants' social Protests were also lodged in the es wuerde sie ungemein hart treffen, wenn die circumstances, e.g., by providing immediate United States. Senator Jacob Javits asked ohnehin ausserordentlich niedrigen Einmal- full payments where the amounts involved Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, to intercede zahlungen, die sie nach dem Schlussgesetz zu are small or the persecutees are of an and to instruct the American Ambassador erwarten haben, gekuerzt wuerden und die advanced age. The Minister also promised in Bonn to " convey the deep disappoint endgueltige Befriedigung der Ansprueche, that in all other cases the highest possible ment which would be felt in the United auf die sie so lange schon warten, noch weiter quotas of the total awards would be paid States, as well as pointing out the prejudice hinausgeschoben wuerde. Aber auch die immediately. to the rights of United States citizens ". " Kapitalbetraege ", die den anderen Wieder While it is certainly to be welcomed that At a press conference in London, Dr. gutmachungsberechtigten zustehen, sind those in greatest need are to receive their Nahum Goldmann, President of the Confer keineswegs Zahlungen an sozial nicht Beduerf full payments without delay, any preferen ence on Jewish Material Claims Against tige ; handelt es sich doch unter anderen um tial treatment, however, desirable, is bound Germany, said that once the Bill was Rentennachzahlungen insbesondere auch an to reduce the quota available for immediate through its final stage, it would be con Witwen, deren Ehemaenner vor 1953 ver payments to other claimants. Above all, by tested in the Constitutional Court of the storben sind. the introduction of a ceiling, the legally Federal German Republic by some of Die tiefe Beunruhigung, die sich bei diesen enacted principle according to wiiich all the victims, with the full assistance of the Kategorien von Wiedergutmachungsberech compensation payments are due immedi Claims Conterence. The present Bill tigten bemerkbar macht, hat im uebrigen auch ately after they have been awarded has violated the principle of equality embodied die Empfaenger von Jahreszahlungen ergrif been revoked for those indemnification pay in the Constitution, since it discriminated fen, obwohl sie durch die geplante Regelimg ments to w-hich Article 17 of the against one section of Hitler's victims, whose nicht unmittelbar betroffen sind : sie befuerch- " Haushaltssicherungsgesetz " refers. ten verstaendhcherweise, dass die Bundes compensation would be delayed " As regierung, wenn sie den gegenwaertigen Plan As reported in the previous issue of one who has made great efforts tc bring verwirklicht, in einem der kommenden Jahre "AJR Information , the Council of Jews about understanding between the German auf dem einmal beschrittenen Wege fort- from Gennany has approached the Federal and Jewish peoples—and I have often Chancellor, the Presidents of the Bundestag been criticised and attacked for it—I Continued on page 2 A.J Page 2 AJR INFORMATION January, 1966 Aiifhebung Verbriefter Rechte QUESTIONS IN THE COMMONS RESTRICTIONS IN ARMED FORCES On December 13, Sir Barnett Janner raised British-Born Parentage Required Continued from page 1 the West German Government's proposal to According to a new regulation of the defer compensation to Nazi victims. He urged Ministry of Defence which was announced in schreiten und auch die Jahreszahlungen the Foreign Secretary to convey to Bonn the the press some time ago, officer applicants in Al antasten koennte. Sie alle koennen den " feeling in this country that on humanitarian the armed forces as well as ratings and other- by Gedanken nicht fassen, dass die gesetzlich grounds and in view of the undertakings " by rank applicants for the Royal Navy and the Spr verbrieften Rechte, die oft von entscheidender Bonn, the compensation payments should not R.A.F. have to be British nationals by birth Isrc Bedeutung fuer ihre einst vom Nazi-Regime be subjected to budgetary curtailment. and of British-born parentage. The new rule, bac zerstoerte und muehsam zu einem bescheidenen the announcement says, means that a candi A .Minister of State, George Thomson, said wit Teil wieder aufgebaute Existenz sind, durch the Government had the greatest sympathy date will have to comply