“There will be no change in the Federal German Republic’s stand on restitution to victims of Nazism” Willy Brandt, Mayor of West Berlin, declared here today. The Mayor addressed United Nations correspondents after a call on UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold.
“Our Chancellor has made that point absolutely clear,” the Mayor said “It is true that our Minister of Justice. Dr. Fritz Schaeffer, who was formerly our Minister of Finance, has made certain statements regarding restitution. I said at home and feel free to repeat now that some of Dr. Schaeffer’s statements were deplorable, Dr. Schaeffer was worried about figures and about our country’s budget problems. I am afraid, however that in some instances he was given the wrong figures.”
Asked about a statement made recently by Dr. Hans Galinski, president of the Council of German Jews, warning against a resurgence of neo-Nazism in Germany, the Mayor replied:
“I certainly would like to discuss this statement with my friend, Dr. Galinski, when I return. I would not be willing to express the fears about neo-Nazism in this way. It must be remembered that in Germany, rather important sections of the population did favor the Nazi movement. It follows of course that it would not be likely that no individual German would today be expressing views influenced by Hitlerism. However, I can say with certainly that no neo-Nazi group has any support or considerable representation in any Parliamentary body.”
Asserting that he was thoroughly familiar with student life in West Germany, Mr. Brandt said emphatically, “the development of the younger generation in our country is very hopeful and most encouraging.”
In response to a question by an Arab correspondent as to whether West Germany intended to sell arms to Israel, the Mayor said: “I have not been confronted with that problem. It is not my responsibility.” He added that he did not think the Bonn-Israel reparations agreement contained any clauses about shipments of military equipment to Israel.
Pressed by the Arab reporter as to his stand on the German-Israel reparations agreement, he replied: “It is well known that my party, the Social Democratic party, played a very active role regarding the reparations problem. A good many leading members of my party have been in Israel. I myself have an invitation to visit Israel. I regret that such a visit will not be possible this year but I do hope to go to Israel next year.”
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.
