The three western commandants today promulgated an order providing for the restitution of confiscated property to victims of the Nazi regime.
The order applies to all identifiable property situated in the three western sectors of Berlin which had a value of at least 1,000 reichsmarks at the time of confiscation. Claims arising from war damage and claims for damage of a personal nature are not covered by the new legislation.
Copies of the order are being made available to the governments of all countries outside Germany through their foreign offices. Nationals and residents of these countries should apply to their own governments for copies of the order before submitting petitions to the claims office in Berlin.
More than 14,000 claims for the restitution of property stolen by the Nazis have already been received in Berlin from applicants in all parts of the world. A British spokesman advised petitioners not to rely upon earlier communications with the three military governments as effective filings under the newly announced order, unless they had been acknowledged by the respective military governments or by the claims office, Reuters reported.
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