Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, today asked Dr. Heinrich von Brentano, West Germany’s Foreign Minister, to convey to his government the Conference’s deep concern over the slow pace of settlement of the claims filed by Nazi victims. Dr. Goldmann invited Dr. Brentano, West German Undersecretary of State Walter Hallstein and their aides to meet with Conference leaders representing 22 major Jewish organizations and with Abba Eban, Israel Ambassador to the United States.
Dr. Goldmann stressed the need for early enactment of a law for the discharge of restitution liabilities of the former German Reich and of the amendments proposed to the existing Federal Indemnification Law. He expressed satisfaction with the smooth operation of the Bonn-Israel reparations agreement. On the other hand, he said, it was unfortunate that there was such an extended lag in the implementation of the Federal Indemnification Law and in adopting the proposed amendments for improvement of the Law.
The Conference concluded an agreement with the German Federal Republic at The Hague in September, 1952, whereby the German Government at is obligated to make certain payments to the Conference under the terms of the Bonn-Israel reparations pact and to enact a legislative program for the benefit of surviving victims of Nazi persecution. The Conference has urged the German Government to take all necessary steps to accelerate implementation of the indemnification program.
Dr. von Brentano, who is making his first visit to the United States since his appointment as Foreign Minister, expressed his government’s great interest in the implementation of the indemnification and restitution provisions of the agreement. He pointed out that intensive efforts are presently under way within the West German Government and the Bonn Parliament to assure early enactment of outstanding legislation and of the issuance of the necessary implementing regulations.
Other German officials present at the meeting were Professor Wilhelm Grewe, chief legal advisor to the German Foreign Ministry, Dr. Heinrich Krekeler, West German Ambassador to the United States, and Dr. Felix von Eckhardt, chief observer of West Germany at the United Nations.
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