The governments of six nations have joined Norway and Holland in strongly-worded notes protesting the West German Republic’s refusal to extend indemnification benefits to Nazi victims who were neither citizens nor residents of Nazi Germany, it was learned here today.
The victims on whose behalf the protests were made by England, France, Denmark, Belgium, Luxemburg and Greece are former political prisoners who are not beneficiaries of West German allocations to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
The eight countries more than a year ago called to the attention of the Bonn Government the fact that many of their nationals or residents thrown into Nazi jails or concentration camps were not eligible for compensation. The eight countries proposed formation of a joint committee, made up of representatives of all countries involved, to study means of providing adequate compensation for such special cases.
The Bonn Government rejected the proposal last February, ruling out an expansion of the compensation framework and expressing a willingness only to discuss “charitable measures” for aiding indigent and needy Nazi victims now excluded from benefits. The rejection was criticized strongly in the eight countries.
The eight powers recently resumed talks on the problem, leading to separate but largely identical notes being handed to the German Foreign Office. It was reported that the Bonn Government will soon send the protesting governments interim replies pending more detailed elaboration of the official West German viewpoint to be submitted later through diplomatic channels.
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