Volume XXX No. 3 March, 1975 INFORiMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOOAim OF XmSM REFIKEES IN GREAT WITABI come reaffirms the important role to be played by the AJR as the representative body of the Jews from Germany and Austria which, due FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH to its standing and experience, can safeguard the interests of our group. Board Meeting of the AJR The speaker also referred to the work of The multitude and importance of the ac­ cants who can only properly be looked after the Council of Jews from Germany of which uities of the AJR became evident anew at in the four-bed wards is lower than it was the AJR is the British constituent. After the jhe Board meeting held on January 26 at anticipated when the Home was built. death of its President, Dr. Siegfried Moses, Hannah Kanninski House. More than 60 Therefore, three of the five four-bed wards the Council elected Mr. W. M. Behr (Bri­ people, including delegates from the will be converted into single rooms thus in­ tain), Mr. H. Gerling (Israel) and Dr. C. C. Provinces, attended the meeting. Many of creasing the accommodation facilities for Silberman (U.S.A.) as co-chairmen. A few them are rendering their regular services in such new applicants or transferees from the weeks ago, a meeting of the co-chairmen was one sphere or another of our work, especially other Homes, who can equally well be cared held in London, which was also attended by |or the benefit of the Homes. Yet of no for in single rooms. Mrs. R. Fabian (Paris), Dr. H. Tramer (Tel Josser importance are those members of the The speaker also mentioned that, as the Aviv) and Dr. W. Rosenstock (Hon. Secretary Board whose standing is based on their posi­ Homes have now been in existence for of the Council). Among other things con­ tion in other organisations with which AJR almost 20 years, the reserves for their main­ cerning the work of the Council those pre­ co-operates. Therefore, the Board has been tenance set aside out of the proceeds from sent explored the possibilities of obtaining J'lghtly described as a kind of parliament of the restituted heirless and communal pro­ the means badly required for the con­ *^e former German and Austrian Jews in perty in West Germany have decreased. tinuation of the essential and constructive 'his country. Though this does not yet present an acute welfare work of the Council's constituents in The meeting was opened by the chainnan problem for the next few years, the time has various countries of resettlement. ot the AJR, Mr. W. M. Behr, O.B.E., who first come to assess the period for which special Turning to questions of Finances and Or­ Paid tribute to those Executive and Board Homes for Nazi victims will still be required, ganisation Dr. Rosenstock reported that, sub­ ?>embers who had passed away since the taking into account that former refugees of ject to the final auditing of the accounts for Board last met: Mr. Richard Schneider (long­ the comparatively younger age groups have the year 1974, it appears that the income standing member of the Executive), Mr. gradually integrated into their enviroimient. from subscriptions and donations has risen Prank Godfrey (member of the Otto Schiff The work of the AJR also includes the ad­ by 10 per cent as compared with 1973. On House Committee since its inception). Dr. ministration of Hannah Karminski House. the other hand, the expenditure is estimated Midwig Eschwege and Mr. Perez Mosbacher. which is owned by the AJR Charitable Trust. to have risen by 25 per cent, especially due He then welcomed the newly elected Board The house serves as the venue of the AJR to the repeatedly increased costs for the pro­ I'^embers who were present for the first Club and also provides accommodation in duction and postage of "AJR Information". tune : Miss M. Babington, Dr. H. G. Francken, bed-sitting rooms for seven elderly refugees. The losses in membership (195), mainly *iiss J. Lee, Mrs. I. Loewenthal, Mrs. G. The Hall is used for functions of various due to deaths, could be made up by the same ™eyer, Mr. W. R. Powell and Mrs. C. Salz- organisations. numiber of new enrolments. oerger, and Miss L Fuss (Glasgow). Tuming to matters of restitution and re­ Mr. W. M. Behr thanked Dr. Rosenstock for Dr. W. Rosenstock (General Secretary) in lated subjects the speaker stated that, apart his report. Referring to the 30th year of the his report stated that as before AJR In- from questions which sometimes arise in the publication of AJR Information, he paid spe­ 'ormation would try to present a fair balance course of the implementation of com­ cial tribute to Dr. Rosenstock's work as the Oetween news, comments and articles on sub­ pensation awards, the two main laws under editor. The recognition of our monthly was jects of special interest to readers of our which applications are still pending are the reflected in a number of messages received hackground. Lastenausgleichsgesetz and the Social In­ on that occasion. They included a letter by Turning to the work for the Homes he said surance laws. With regard to claims against the Nobel Prize winner, Sir Hans A. Krebs, jhat there was a long waiting list for the the German Democratic Republic, which has who expressed his "admiration for the part *^Iatlet Home (Eleanor Rathbone House) and now established diplomatic relations with Dr. Rosenstock played in this success story". ^ very great demand for admission to Westem countries and has also been admitted After having read out the letter, Mr. Behr Osmond House, the Home for the physically to the United Nations, efforts are in a very presented Dr. Rosenstock with a painting on iraii. People now usually apply for admission initial stage and nothing can be said about the behalf of the AJR Executive as a token of '0 one of the Old Age Homes, when they are outcome at present. their appreciation. already 80 years or older, because they want One of the great successes of the AJR Mrs. M. Casson reported that most of the '0 retain their independence in their own during the year under review was the re­ persons on the register of the AJR Employ­ Private residences as long as possible. This in duction by 50 per cent of the taxability of ment Agency were looking for work as part- t^rn has increased the average age of the re­ German pensions to former public servants time home helpers, either permanently or sidents of the Homes. and Jewish communal workers and of temporarily, e.g., in cases of illness. Al­ With regard to Osmond House the speaker German and Austrian Social Insurance pen­ together, in 1974 home help was provided on ^tressed that, like the other Homes (Otto sions. This subject would be dealt with 140 occasions. It was, however, difficult to ^chiff House, Otto Hirsch House, Leo Baeck separately by Dr. F. E. Falk. The part played meet the demands, if the prospective em­ House and Heinrich Stahl House), the Home by the AJR in having this regulation in­ ployers lived in districts far away from the *as a residential home in the meaning of corporated in the Finance Act. 1974, is re­ usual residences of former refugees or if ^art HI of the National Assistance Act and flected in a letter by the Chief Secretary to work in so-called "unsocial" hours was re­ '^ot a nursing home. This limits the the Treasury, Mr. Joel Barnett, M.P., in quired. The payments for home help vary be­ jategories of elderly people who are eligible which he described the Memorandum submit­ tween 75p and £1 per hour. *or admission, quite apart from the fact that ted by the AJR as "extremely useful in focus­ The Employment Agency also has on its ^n unduly high proportion of residents who ing on the question of payments from register free-lance workers, e.g., dressmakers •"Squire heavy nursing would create grave Austria and West Germany". The author of and home typists, to whom enquirers are ^""oblems of staffing and finance and also this Memorandum was Dr. F. E. Falk, and directed. *}ave an overall effect on the character of special tribute is due to him. Effective steps The Social Services Department dealt with ^smond House. On the other hand it has in this matter had also been taken by our 90 new clients during the year under review. turned out that the number of those appli­ friend. Dr. C. L Kapralik. The successful out­ Continued on page 2, column 1 WUh. Page 2 AJR INFORMATION March, 1975 sidents and to charge these payments to tax FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH on the so-called "arising" basis, i.e. on the amount received, whether or not remitted to Continued from page 1 the U.K., but less a deduction of 10 per cent. Altogether it looked after approximately 160 zer reported that she had conducted a great Clauses to that effect were included in the people in 1974, about 20 of whom had special number of interviews and was now in the Finance Bill 1974. During the debate on the problems and visited the office frequently. process of evaluating these interviews as well Bill, certain modifications were proposed. There were various kinds of enquiries, e.g. as other sources available. The names of the The AJR considered it its duty, in these cir­ rent tribunal cases, in which callers had to interviewees will, of course, not be revealed cumstances to ask for "some measure of fair­ be advised where they could obtain help.