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Germany Starts Drafting Federal Indemnification Law for Jews

February 11, 1953
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Representatives of all the states in West Germany have been invited to cooperate with a special Federal government committee in the drafting of a Federal indemnification law to pay Jewish victims of the Nazis for damages suffered under the Nazis, as provided under the terms of the reparations agreement between Germany and world Jewish organizations, it was learned here today. The drafting committee consists of officials representing the Bonn Ministries of Interior, Justice and Finance.

Speedy ratification of the Luxemburg treaty under which West Germany will pay reparations to Israel and the Jewish people was demanded last night by Erich Ollenhauer, head of the German Social Democratic Party, in a speech at Solingen. The policy initiated by Germany with the signing of the Luxemburg agreement, the Social Democratic leader told a public meeting, must be implemented and must receive ratification as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the German National Bank have approved an export license for the Jewish Restitution Successor Organization to send to Israel and other countries where victims of the Nazis now live, some 20,000,000 marks (approximately $4,700,000) worth of German goods. This is the second such export license granted the JRSO, which is the legal heir of Jewish heirless and communal property in the American zone of Germany.

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