Not until the second half of September, will the local Superior Court hand down a decision in the test case against the IG-Farben chemical combine, in which Jewish leader Norbert Wollheim is suing for back pay and damages for injuries suffered while he was a slave laborer in the synthetic-rubber factory of Buna-Monowitz, it was learned here today.
The Monowitz plant was established by IG-Farben near the Auschwitz extermination camp, because the SS administration of the camp was glad to supply a pool of slave labor.
Several years ago, Wollheim brought a civil suit against IG-Farben for 10, 000 marks–about $2,400–in back pay and damages. Early last year his claim was upheld by a lower court. IG-Farben appealed to the Frankfurt Superior Court, which had originally indicated that it would take up the case in April or May, but has since postponed it until September for “technical reasons.”
Both IG-Farben and legal counsel for the approximately 2,000 surviving Monowitz slave laborers have agreed to accept, as binding for similar cases, the final adjudication of the Wollheim suit. The losing party in the Superior Court proceedings is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court in Karlsruhe, the highest judicial authority in Germany.
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.
