Assets of Jews who resided in Germany which have been frozen as “German property” in Switzerland since 1946 heave now been released by the Swiss Government, the World Jewish Congress announced here today.
The WJC revealed that the Swiss and Bonn Governments have signed a new agreement replacing the “agreement concerning German property in Switzerland” signed in Washington May 25, 1946. The new agreement was ratified in Berne March 19.
Under the terms of the new agreement assets of person who “lost their life or considerable part of their liberty or their full German citizenship rights by law or ordinances of the German National Socialist Government” will be released with out deductions. All other funds over 10,000 Swiss francs will be subject to deductions of up to 50 percent.
The exemption for Nazi victims was obtained in accordance with representations made by the World Jewish Congress and the Joint Distribution Committee, in conjunction with the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities, the WJC announcement said.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
