Herbert Blankenhorn, West German Ambassador to France and to NATO, testified today that the Foreign Ministry in Bonn learned in 1952 that Dr. Hans Strack–who is suing the Ambassador for alleged libel–had admitted to confidential meetings with a businessman active in opposing reparations talks with Israel.
Dr. Strack is suing Blankenhorn, Walter Hallstein, president of the European Common Market and Baron Vollrath von Maltzen. The former head of the Bonn Economic Ministry’s Middle East Department contends that the three defendants slandered him by making reports allegedly accusing him of having accepted a bribe from the Egyptians to help prevent legislation sanctioning the German-Israel reparations pact.
A. Hertslet, the businessman named by Blankenhorn, promptly asked the public prosecutor for admission as a co-plaintiff with Dr. Strack. Hertslet asserted he too had been slandered and falsely accused. After hearing Blankenhorn’s testimony, the court adjourned until tomorrow, when Prof. Ludwig Erhard, West German Minister of Economics, will testify.
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