3,300 Jewish Claims Settled in British Zone of Germany

Approximately 3,300 claims of Jewish victims of the Nazis for restitution of property valued at some 8,000,000 deutschemarks. (Approximately $1,900,000) have been settled amicably or by the courts in the British zone of Germany in the past two years, it was reported here today by Sir Henry d’Avigdor Goldsmid, chairman of the Jewish Trust Corporation, official successor organization for heirless, unclaimed or communal Jewish property in the British zone.

In his report to the second annual general meeting of the corporation, Sir Henry revealed that due to circumstances beyond the control of the British authorities in Germany a conversion rate between the old devalued reichsmark and the new deutschemark has never been set officially. As a result, he pointed out, many German courts throw the burden of the German postwar currency devaluation on the victims of the Nazis when they make compensation awards. Also, he revealed, much of the property returned as property rather than paid for is in poor shape and difficult to sell.