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French Govt. Gets Jewish Views on Proposed Revision of Germany’s Occupation Statute

August 29, 1950
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A memorandum outlining Jewish views on a future occupation statute for Germany which is now under discussion was presented here today to the French Foreign Ministry by the World Jewish Congress. The French Government will forward this memorandum to its delegation on the Allied committee which is working on the overhauling of the occupation statute. Major recommendations in the memorandum are:

1. The German Government must convince the German people of the reality of the crimes committed against the Jews and the legitimacy of demands for reparations.

2. Extension of the present occupation statute and recommendation to the German Government that it promulgate legislation condemning incitement to racial hatred.

3. That the German Government must undertake to reeducate the German youth in line with democratic and humanitarian ideas.

4. Arrange for the speedy trial of all war criminals. Any amnesty or release of persons sentenced for crimes against humanity should be subject to confirmation by the occupation authorities.

5. The handling of the restitution problem must remain within the competence of the Allied authorities. In any treaty between the Allied powers and the German Federal Republic, the German Government should undertake to respect the restitution laws enacted by the Allied powers.

6. Present reparations legislation should be modified and should take into consideration only the extent of damage suffered without limitation of date or residence. It is proposed that in any new treaty a clause be inserted obliging the German Government to adopt a general reparations law making reparations not dependent upon the residence of the victims in Germany.

7. Any new agreement with Germany considering restitution should contain guarantees against discrimination of rightful owners living abroad.

8. The Federal Republic should be obliged to indemnify the Jewish people through compensation in goods and services. As regards determination of the extent of collective indemnification, it would be advisable to refer to the Paris Agreement on Reparations of December, 1945.

9. Cemeteries in Germany where victims of Nazism are buried should be placed under international control and their supervision entrusted to an international committee.

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