U.S. High Commissioner Asks Germans to Compensate Jews for Sufferings Under Nazis

U.S. High Commissioner for Germany John J. McCloy yesterday urged the German people to compensate the Jews for what they suffered at the hands of the Nazis in the past. Speaking at ceremonies marking the opening of “Amerika Haus” in Hanover–the first U.S. information center established outside the American zone–Mr. McCloy declared:

“The peoples outside Germany and, I am sure, all right thinking Germans feel that one of the gravest injustices the modern world has witnessed was unfortunately committed on German soil–the Nazi persecution of Jews and those who dared to resist. No one can help those who are dead. The German people, however, can demonstrate their goodwill by taking prompt and generous action to restore to those persecuted that which is justly theirs. Such action should not need prodding from any Allied source. It is an obligation, moral more than economic, which the German people must meet.”