A full-dress investigation by the Bavarian Parliament into the background of the recent trial of the late Philip Auerbach, former head of the State Restitution Office was demanded today by the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The council said the investigation should be held regardless of the people who might be involved.
Auerbach committed suicide after his conviction and sentencing by a court containing three former Nazis. A principal witness against him was subsequently convicted of perjury in another case and sentenced to prison.
In Munich today, Dr. Josef Klibansky, Auerbach’s chief counsel, asked the Bavarian Minister of Justice to take action against the state prosecutors, Wilhelm Hoelper and Heinrich Keisel for “serious abuse of their duties.” He based his charges on the failure of the prosecutors to inform the court that perjury proceedings were pending against the chief prosecution witness, Karl Diekow, whose unsupported allegations against Auerbach were accepted by the court without reservation.
Dr. Franz Zdralek, who succeeded Auerbach as restitution chief a year ago, announced his resignation today on grounds of health and a desire to return to politics. He declared that some 80 percent of the victims of Nazism who have applied for restitution to the Bavarian Restitution Office have received some sort of advance payment by now. He estimated that nearly 20,000 of 110,000 applications have been settled by the office.
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.
