West Germany Has Paid $7,540 Billion in Claims to Individual Jews, Dr. Goldmann Reports

West Germany has paid out approximately $7,540,000,000 on material claims to individual Jews since the early 1950’s under the terms of the German indemnification and restitution laws and their amendments. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany reported here today. Dr. Goldmann who is also President of the World Jewish Congress, spoke at the annual meeting of the Conference Board of Directors. He noted that over 200,000 claims of individual Nazi victims continued to await disposition. He underscored that no sums of money, however vast, could ever compensate Jewry for the ravages suffered in the Nazi era, and that the monies paid by the West German government were applicable only to the account of material losses suffered. Mr. Jacob Blaustein, Senior Vice-President, presented the budget for 1970 and pointed out that Conference allocations were now restricted to two special programs: the Community Leader Fund conducted since 1954 and the Hassidei Haumot program established in 1963. This program was created to help non-Jews who, at the risk of their own lives, were instrumental in saving Jewish lives in countries occupied by the Nazis, and who are now themselves in need of assistance. Officers elected today by the Board of Directors included Dr. Nahum Goldmann, President; and Jacob Blaustein, senior Vice-President.