Lufthansa Pays $5000 in Bias Case

The New York State Human Rights Commission has announced a $5000 compensation award to Joseph Dittfeld, 44, who accused Lufthansa German Airlines of discriminating against him because he was Jewish when he was discharged recently by the airline.

A native of East Germany, Dittfeld, who has been a United States resident for the past six years, had worked for Lufthansa for eight years before being transferred to Buffalo, N.Y. in 1968 to be regional sales manager,. He was dismissed 30 months later. In his complaint before the State Division of Human Rights against Lufthansa, Dittfeld said the airline had refused to let him face, and challenge two fellow employes who had accused him of misconduct.

Dittfeld also contended that at the time of his dismissal there were only two Jewish district sales managers employed by Lufthansa and that the company was “following a policy of replacing employes in responsible positions with German nationals,” the division said.

The charges, which involved violations of the State Human Rights law, were investigated by members of the division’s Buffalo office and “probable cause” was found to credit Dittfeld’s charges. When the division was unable to arrange a conciliation in conferences of the principals, it arranged a public hearing. After the hearing started, Stuart I. Volan, a division attorney who was counsel for Dittfeld, said a stipulation of settlement had been signed by Dittfeld and Lufthansa and the hearing was ended.

Under terms of the stipulation Lufthansa affirmed its commitment to the policies and goals of the State Human Rights law, while denying it had committed any unlawful discriminatory practices, and agreed to deposit with the division a certified check for $5000 payable to Dittfeld. N.Y. State Commissioner of Human Rights Jack Sable signed on Jan. 31 the order making the stipulation effective.