Gold stolen by the Nazis from gas chamber and concentration camp victims in gold teeth, watches and trinkets has been flown to London to pay for rehabilitation of survivors, it was announced here today by William. H. Tuck, head of the Preparatory Commission of the International Refuges Organization. The value of the gold was estimated at $728,000.
This first shipment of non-monetary gold was turned over to the Preparatory Commission by the military authorities in the U.S. zone of Germany and Austria and was sold at the established price of $35 ounce. The Commission is distributing the proceeds to voluntary agencies in accordance with Article VIII of the final act of the Paris Conference on Reparations and the Five Power agreement of June 14, 1946, for the rehabilitation and resettlement of Nazi victims.
Ninety percent is allocated for assistance to Jewish victims since the gold comes chiefly from Jews, while the remaining ten percent will be used for assistance to non-Jewish racial and political persecutees.
Under the treaty terms both the British and French occupation authorities are required to make similar transfers of Nazi loot to the Preparatory Commission. Twenty-five million dollars from Nazi assets in neutral countries plus an indeterminate amount from the funds of heirless Nazi victims in banks throughout the world have also been designated for reparations to Nazi victims through the Commission.
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