Holocaust Restitution
Comprehensive documents for Compensation Programs are available
online, issued by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against
Germany.
A number of compensation and restitution programs for Holocaust
survivors and heirs of victims have application deadlines that need
to be noted.
Any questions about individual programs should be directed
through the contact information provided below. Please do not
direct questions about these programs to the Claims
Conference.
Further information is on the Claims Conference website, www.claimscon.org.
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The information presented herein is intended for information
purposes only and as a general guide to certain issues involved in
compensation and restitution in Europe. The information is not
intended as legal advice. It is a summary of specific issues and
does not represent a definitive or complete statement of the
programs and policies of the governments or agencies mentioned.
This guide may not address the special needs, interests and
circumstances of individual applicants. The information is correct
as of the date of this document, and this information may change
subsequent to the said date. In addition, deadlines must be checked
with the responsible agency. Individuals seeking specific
information on a claim or program are urged to contact the relevant
program or to consult their social service agency or help centre
representative.
3,100 new Swiss bank depositors
identified
Click here to see the names of the additional 3,100 Swiss bank
depositors from the Nazi era who have been identified. Descendants
can apply to recover these funds.
Claims Information for Canadian Survivors
of the Holocaust
The Material Claims Conference Claims
Conference Web Site, New York Office
www.claimscon.org
Czech Republic Claims
For assistance in the process of re-possession of property in the
Czech republic, and for assistance in locating Holocaust survivors:
www.remember.org/unite/.
Ghetto Pension Claims to be Re-Opened:
Claims Conference Secures Commitment from Germany
A Claims Conference delegation led by President Israel Singer met
on March 17, 2004, with the German Minister of Health and Social
Welfare, Ulla Schmidt, to discuss problems with the Ghetto Pension
Law (ZRBG). The Claims Conference delegation raised concerns
regarding the way the law was being interpreted by the regional
pension authorities.
The Minister responded positively to the concerns and indicated
that she would raise them with the independent authorities
responsible for implementation of the law.
Since 1997, the German government has been awarding old age
pensions to Holocaust survivors based upon work performed, for some
form of salary, payment or benefit in Polish ghettos during World
War II. In 2002, Germany expanded the existing legislation,
enacting a Law for the Payment of Pensions for Periods of
Employment in a Ghetto (Gesetz zur Zahlbarmachung von Renten aus
Beschaftigungen in einem Ghetto, known as the ZRBG or "Ghetto
Pension"). Former residents of any European Ghetto that was
incorporated into, or annexed to the German Reich may now qualify,
providing that certain work-related preconditions are met.
The "Ghetto Pension" is not awarded on the basis of slave or
forced labor performed for the Nazis. Since survivors, however,
went through various stages of persecution, it is possible to
collect both the one-time payment for slave or forced labor (Claims
Conference Program for Former Slave and Forced Laborers) and the
ZRBG pension for compensated work. The two payments cover different
work circumstances.
The Claims Conference has been actively engaged in assisting the
survivor community to understand the new regulations and in
pressing the German government for any interpretation or
implementation of the new legislation that could secure this
pension for as many survivors as possible. The Claims Conference
intends to continue to press the German government on the
interpretation of the law so all survivors who are eligible will
receive the social security payments.
In meetings with the Claims Conference, the German Social
Security Administration pledged that all Holocaust survivors who
have applied and previously been rejected for German Social
Security payments under the countrys "Ghetto Pension Law" (ZRBG)
will have their cases reviewed by the end of 2010.
The Claims Conference met last week with German officials to
urge more rapid processing of cases and retroactive payments to
applicants and has been pressing these issues since court rulings
in 2009 allowed re-evaluation of rejected applications. Today, the
National Pension Board announced that if applicants are found to be
entitled to a pension, in accordance with the court rulings,
generally the payments will be backdated to January 1, 2005.
Following the decision in June 2009 of the German Federal Social
Court (Bundessozialgericht) to allow reconsideration of claims for
"ghetto pensions" from tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors
previously rejected, the Claims Conference has been pressing for an
expedited review of these applications. Out of 70,000 applicants,
there remain 56,000 previously rejected applications from Holocaust
survivors for review.
The applications will be processed according to the survivors
date of birth in order to give priority to the oldest
applicants.
Since the court rulings, 1,700 previously rejected applications
have been approved. The German Social Security Administration has
assured the Claims Conference that the rate of processing for the
remaining 56,000 claims will be considerably faster in order to
complete them by years end.
The 2009 court rulings relate to a number of issues of
interpretation of the ghetto pension law, including the definition
of "remuneration," "voluntary labor" and the existence of age
limits. For an overview of the main issues, see the Claims
Conferences website at www.claimscon.org/zrbgmain.
Prior to the court ruling, the Claims Conference had initiated a
monitoring group established by the Ministry of Labor regarding
implementation of the ZRBG law. The Claims Conference pressed for
retroactive payments. In addition, the Claims Conference asked for
re-opening of cases without re-submission of documents by
claimants. The German Social Security Administration began
proactively reviewing all rejected ZRBG/Ghetto Pension claims.
Applicants whose Ghetto Pension claims were denied do not need
to request the re-opening of their claims in accordance with the
court rulings of June 2009, nor do they have to contact the ZRBG
offices in Germany to have their files reviewed.
However, applicants may contact the German Pension Board about
the status of their claims and to inform the ZRBG office about
changes of address, bank account etc.
Contact information for applicants depends on their current
country of residence. Information on regional pension institutions
is at www.claimscon.org/zrbgmain.
The "ZRBG 2009" Flyer prepared for distribution by Germanys
Deustche Rentenversicherung- National Pension Board is available
online and by clicking the following links in:
German, English, Russian, Czech, Slovakian, Hungarian, French, and
Hebrew.
The Claims Conference will continue to press on this issue of
great importance to so many survivors, and to keep you informed of
developments. The Claims Conference will continue to make available
all information pertinent to Holocaust survivors through help
centers, social service agencies and on our website at
www.claimscon.org.
German Social Security: Regional Pension Institutions
Frequently Asked Questions About German Social Security for Work
in a Ghetto (ZRBG). Updated June 2009
The Claims Conference is not involved in the administration,
implementation or processing of applications for this program.
The information presented herein is intended for information
purposes only and solely as a general guide. The information is not
intended as legal advice. It is a summary of specific issues and
does not represent a definitive or complete statement of the
programs and policies of the agencies or governments mentioned. The
information may not address the special needs, interests and
circumstances of individual recipients. Individual situations
differ and recipients are urged to seek individual advice.
Individuals seeking specific information on a program are urged to
contact the relevant program or to consult their social service
agency or help center representative. To the best of our knowledge
the information is correct as of the date of this document and this
information may change subsequent to the said date.
March 19, 2010
1,200 Claims Conference Obtains Doubled
Funds from Germany for 2011 Social Aid: $145 Million to Help
Holocaust Victims in 32 Countries
The Claims Conference has negotiated a historic agreement with the
German government to provide €110 million (approximately $145
million) in 2011 for vital homecare services for Jewish Holocaust
victims living around the world.
This is double the amount that the Claims Conference negotiated
for 2010 and is the largest single amount ever negotiated for
homecare for Holocaust victims. With restitution-related sources of
funding on the decline, this agreement obtained by the Claims
Conference is vital to addressing the growing social welfare needs
of aging Holocaust survivors.
The Claims Conference will allocate the German government money
worldwide to agencies in 32 countries that provide in-home nursing
and vital help with basic activities of daily living such as
eating, dressing, bathing, and other services that greatly ease the
lives of elderly Holocaust victims and enable them to remain living
in their own homes.
"We congratulate the government of Germany for recognizing its
historic responsibility to Jewish Holocaust victims, whose
advancing age has brought increased hardship to many," said
Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, Claims Conference Special Negotiator.
"In their final years, survivors who need care and services should
not have to fear that they will be forgotten. Germany has been
exemplary in facing its past, and the government has demonstrated
its commitment to alleviating the plight of elderly victims who
need the care that these funds will provide."
"With Holocaust victims all now elderly, the Claims Conference
is dedicated to bringing them comfort, care, and dignity," said
Chairman Julius Berman. "Our top priority is to continue obtaining
funding to assist them in their final years. Aging Holocaust
victims must know that the Claims Conference will work tirelessly
on their behalf as long as needed."
The Claims Conference negotiating delegation comprises Special
Negotiator Amb. Stuart Eizenstat; Holocaust survivor leaders Roman
Kent, Ben Helfgott, Noach Flug, and Marian Turski; Rabbi Andrew
Baker and Amb. Reuven Merhav; and Claims Conference Executive Vice
President Greg Schneider and Special Consultant Saul Kagan.
Since 1995, the Claims Conference has been the foremost
organization in the world in identifying and addressing the unique
social welfare and health needs of Jewish victims of Nazism. In
addition to the funds obtained from the German government, the
Claims Conference allocates funds from various restitution-related
sources, including the recovery of unclaimed Jewish property in the
former East Germany; agreements with the governments of Austria and
Hungary; the Swiss Banks Settlement; and the Harry and Jeanette
Weinberg Foundation.
For 2011, in total, the Claims Conference is allocating
approximately $270 million for services to Nazi victims in 46
countries. Services from other sources of allocations include
hunger relief, medical aid, winter assistance, transportation, help
in applying for government benefits, and socialization
opportunities to relieve loneliness.
Since 2004, the Claims Conference has negotiated with the German
government for homecare funding, obtaining increased amounts each
year. This agreement is the result of sustained efforts over 18
months by the Claims Conference negotiating delegation and
staff.