Rumania Will Restore Citizenship to Jews; Government Will Act on Heirless Property

Jewish leaders here today revealed that the Rumanian Government recently promised them that a law would be promulgated restoring citizenship to Jews who lost it as a result of anti-Jewish legislation of previous regimes, or through territorial changes.

This evening’s Bucharest newspapers reported that the text of the law has been submitted to the King for signature and will be published in the Official Gazette within three days. The law, it was stated, will also grant citizenship rights to Jews who failed to apply for Rumanian citizenship during the period of 1919-1921.

Minister of Public Works Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej received Jewish leaders this week and informed that the government intends to devote heirless Jewish property to the relief of Jewish survivors of deportations and massacres which occurred in Rumania during the pro-Nazi regime. This property, he declared, will be administered by a committee including representatives of Jews who had been interned in camps by the former government.

Problems concerning the restitution of Jewish property, reinstatement of dismissed Jewish employees and cancellation of forced sales of Jewish property during the pro-Nazi regime are now governed by two special laws issued in Dec. 1944 and Aug. 1945. Of 5,532 claims filed up to March 1946, about 4,200 were settled favorably, a correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has established.

Jewish institutions here have no further data. However, they assert that the number of restitution cases actually settled is small. On the other hand the reinstatement of dismissed Jews to their former jobs is progressing smoothly. But even in such cases, a considerable number of Jewish claimants cannot request reinstatement because on the basis of existing legislation only Rumanian citizens may file such suits.