12, 000 Jews in Canada, Victims of Nazism, Compensated by Germany

During 1962, Jewish claimants in Canada were awarded a total of $4,711, 300 by West German courts and administrative authorities as a result of efforts of the United Restitution Organization, the Canadian Jewish Congress reported.

The Congress, which represents the URO in Canada, also reported that as of December 31, 1962, the total of funds awarded to Canadian Jewish claimants was $23, 784, 800 and that some 12, 000 Jews benefitted from the work of the URO in Canada.

The claimants are mostly former refugees and displaced persons from Poland, the largest single group, Rumania and Hungary, who spent years in Nazi concentration and forced labor camps. In addition to their claims for compensation for incarceration, they may be eligible for pension payments because of permanent damage to their health, the Congress said.

The CJC also reported that the remaining single most important problem was that a very large number of victims of Nazism are not considered eligible, under West German compensation laws, for any payments because they were unable to leave Iron Curtain countries by October 1, 1953, a cut-off date in the West German laws. The Congress noted that negotiations were continuing on an intensive basis by Jewish representatives with West German Cabinet officials to obtain needed amendments to the law.

The CJC revealed that, at the request of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, it made detailed representations to the West German Ambassador in Ottawa on the kind of changes needed and that “assurances were received that our representations were relayed, with favorable comment, to the appropriate ministries in Bonn.”