Dr. Georg A. Federer, German Consul General in New York, left today for West Germany to participate in a two-day conference on restitution claims by Nazi victims which will open in Munich tomorrow.
Called to discuss speedier restitution claims, conference delegates will include, besides a representative from the Foreign Office, Dr. H.G. van Dam, Central Council of Jews in Germany; Dr. Ernest Katzenstein, United Relief Organization, and Nehemiah Robinson, of the Jewish Claims Conference.
Payments of about thirteen billion marks have been made so far by the Federal Republic. Efforts previously made to expedite processing of claims are expected to finally settle in 1961 one of the most complex of restitution claims, that of compensation for damages suffered by the health of individuals.
The main problem in this claim has been obtaining the required medical certificates for those eligible for compensation, which are often hard to get for persons residing outside of Germany. At the suggestion of the Foreign Office, the regional German restitution authorities are now sending German doctors abroad for a limited period to collect the necessary information. A beginning was made last fall with the dispatch of three doctors to New York.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
