The restitution of heirless and communal property in Germany is far more important for Jewish public projects than the combined value of all Jewish fund-raising campaigns throughout the world plus the $100,000,000 American loan to Israel, Dr. George Landauer, former director of the Youth Aliyah movement in Israel, declared today at a press conference here. He estimated that the restitution claims in the western zones of Germany alone total three to four billion marks.
He revealed that the first restitution claims have already been paid in the American zone because of the efforts of the Jewish Restitution Successor Organization. He stressed that the Jews who have been paid face an additional problem in transferring their money to Israel or other countries.
The most favorable solution of the problem, he suggested, would be a lump sum settlement by the German Government, instead of lengthy court proceedings. He revealed that two German states have already agreed in principle to enter into negotiations for a lump sum settlement. Such a settlement might ultimately have to be concluded with the Bonn government, he maintained.
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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.
