SENT BY FAX AND E-MAIL

August 16, 2000

TO:
 JCPA Member Agencies
FROM:

Martin Raffel - Chief Operating Officer
Reva Price, Washington Representative

RE:
 Claims Process for Former Slave and Forced Laborers

Now that an agreement has been reached with the German government and industry concerning former Slave and forced laborers ("the German Foundation Economic Initiative"), the claims process can begin. Greg Schneider, Assistant Executive Vice President of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, has asked that we help distribute information on what is happening – and what is not happening – in connection with that process. Please help to distribute the information to those working with Holocaust survivors in your community. We expect to be able to provide more information on how to complete the paper work later this fall.

In about two months, the claims process will begin. At that time, a comprehensive publicity campaign will get under way, with information about where people can get claim forms as well as assistance completing them.

No claim forms will be available to any applicant until mid-October 2000 at the earliest.

The exact timing depends on the resolution of certain legal issues and the German Curatorium (Board of Trustees) of the German Foundation Initiative, which is scheduled to meet in Berlin in late August – early September.

To minimize possible confusion, you also should be aware that the German offices administering payments for the original West German Federal Indemnification Law (Bundesentschadigungs-gsetz in German, or BEG for short, commonly referred to as Wiedergutmachung), is mailing a notice to recipients of BEG pensions only. Recipients of the letter who believe they are eligible for a slave or forced labor payment should sign and return it to the address in Israel provided in the letter.

In the next few weeks, we will send a similar letter to The Claims Conference Article 2 Fund recipients that are likely to be eligible for slave or forced labor compensation.

Survivors who do not receive either letter, yet believe they are eligible for a slave or forced labor payment, will be able to submit their claims once application forms become available.

Thus, should you receive inquiries about German slave and forced labor, please emphasize that:

· CLAIM FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING IN MID-OCTOBER AT THE EARLIEST

· THERE IS NO NEED TO PAY A FEE TO OBTAIN A CLAIM FORM

· THERE IS NO NEED TO PAY FOR ASISISTANCE WITH THE CLAIM FORM. FREE HELP CENTERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE LAUNCH OF THE PROCESS, AND THERE WILL BE A TOLL-FREE HOT LINE

Please feel free to contact Susan Berger, Outreach Manager, (212 696 4944 Ext. 254 or Susanb@claimscon.org) with any questions.

 

German Foundation Initiative – Slave and Forced Labor Payments

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany participated in the negotiations for the establishment of the German Economic Foundation Initiative, "Remembrance, Responsibility and the Future," which will provide payments to certain former slave and forced laborers.

THE APPLICATION FORM WILL BE SHORT, SIMPLE AND NON-BUREAUCRATIC. APPLICANTS WII BE ABLE TO APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE CLAIMS CONFERENCE AND WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY A FEE.

The German Parliament recently adopted legislation needed for the allocations of funds to the initiative. The measure allows for payments to former slave and forced laborers on the basis of the principles set out below. The Claims Conference was critical in helping to shape the legislation.

  • For the purpose of payment under the German Foundation Initiative, a "slave laborer" is defined as a person who was in a concentration camp, ghetto or under comparable conditions of confinement during World War 2 and who was forced to work. Former slave laborers who meet the eligibility requirements may receive up to DM 15,000. For the purpose of payments under the German Foundation Initiative, a "forced laborer" is defined as a person who was forced to work in certain conditions during World War 2 but not included in the definition of a slave laborer. Former forced laborers who meet the eligibility requirements may receive up to DM 5,000. However, the final amounts paid may be less than these sums, depending on the number of people who are found eligible.

  • There will be no reduction of payments for persons who received compensation under other compensation or restitution programs. However, persons who received payments for slave and/or forced labor from a private industry fund, either recently or in the past, will have such payments deducted from the payment to be received under this initiative. Former slave and forced laborers alive on February 15, 1999, will be eligible to apply for payments. In the event that a former slave or forced laborer passed away after February 15,1999, certain legal heirs will be entitled to apply for payment.

  • Those former slave and forced laborers whose application for payment is approved will receive an initial partial payment of the total amount-with an additional payment, after all applications have been processed.

  • The German Foundation Initiative has asked that the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany process applications from former Jewish slave and forced laborers, except those currently residing in Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, and some other countries. Applications submitted by former Jewish slave and forced laborers currently residing in those countries will be processed by their national Reconciliation Foundations, with some involvement of the Claims Conference.

  • The applications received by the Claims Conference will be processed in accordance with the eligibility criteria established by the German Foundation Initiative and will be subject to oversight and audit by the German Foundation Initiative.

IT IS HOPED THAT THE CLAIMS PROCESS WILL BEGIN BY MID OCTOBER AT THE EARLIEST. IT WILL BE WIDELY ADVERTISED AND FORMS WILL BE EASILY AVAILABLE.

August 2000