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Compensate for Nazi slavery
The York Times
The Observer
December 7, 1999
Title: Compensate for
Nazi slavery
Author: The New York
Times
Publication: The Observer
Date: December 7, 1999
More than 50 years ago,
millions of citizens of Central and Eastern Europe were compelled to work
under most severe for German companies and the Nazi state. Concentration
camp inmates, mostly Jews. were used by the companies as staves in manufacturing
facilities inside the camps. Others, mostly non-Jews, were deported to
Germany and made to do forced labour in factories and on farms. Hundreds
of thousands of people who survived these ordeals are still alive. But
all are elderly and thousands die each month. If they are ever to be compensated
for their nightmarish suffering, it must be soon.
Belated compensation
talks this year, helped along by Stuart Eizenstat, the US deputy treasury
secretary, have put a settlement within reach. Survivor groups have reduced
their claims in the interests of an early payout. The German government
has offered to contribute to a settlement. But the chance for an early
deal may now be lost because of the intransigence of German industry, which
has failed to be as generous or as flexible as it should be.
The German government
long ago made payments to concentration camp survivors, and a few private
companies have given about $70 million to forced labourers who worked for
them, which would be credited in any settlement. But hundreds of thousands
of people who were forced to work either for the many large companies that
have not made such payments or for companies and organisations that no
longer exist have never been compensated.
The German companies
that profited from these and other Nazi economic crimes should contribute
generously to these victims.
Last February under threat
of legal action, 16 leading German companies agreed to discuss a voluntary
compensation agreement. They had a considerable incentive for coming to
terms. Not only would all current legal actions be dismissed, but Washington
has given assurances that it would oppose all further legal claims brought
in US courts for Nazi-era economic offences. Many of the German companies
involved do substantial business in the United States or own US affiliates.
Since February many more
companies have joined the talks, and the total amount offered by private
industry has been increased to about $2.8 billion. Adding in the German
government's proposed contribution of about $1.7 billion, the total German
offer comes to about $4.5 billion.
The survivors are seeking
something in the range of $6 billion to $8 billion. It is widely believed
that the real gap between the two sides is less than $2 billion.
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