West German Ambassador Heinrich Kneppstein today told leaders of the Jewish War Veterans that his government deplored the continued presence of German military rocket scientists in Egypt, but was unable to take effective steps against them because of civil liberties considerations.
JWV national commander Daniel Neal Heller, leading a veterans’ delegation to the German Embassy, drew attention to legislation pending before the West German Parliament to punish German citizens who refuse to cease irresponsible activities in Egypt. Ambassador Kneppstein said that even if the bill were passed, the West German Supreme Court would rule it unconstitutional. He said that West Germany was so liberal in its democracy that it could not control the decision of German citizens to build weapons for President Nasser.
Mr. Heller later made known that he would pursue the question further. He said he has heard reports that Bonn is licensing the shipment of strategic military materials to the Nasser regime. He said he was not convinced West Germany could not do more to curb German involvement with Nasser’s aggressive preparations. Mr. Heller was accompanied to the German Embassy by Joseph F. Barr, JWV national executive director, and Warren Adler, director of public relations for the JWV.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
