IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 112

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the German Government should

expand and simplify its reparations system, provide reparations to Holocaust survivors in Eastern and Central Europe, and set up a fund

to help cover the medical expenses of Holocaust survivors.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 9, 1997

Mrs. MALONEY of New York (for herself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. WEXLER, Ms.

ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. GEJDENSON, and Mr. FROST) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the German Government should expand and simplify its reparations system, provide reparations to Holocaust survivors in Eastern and Central Europe, and set up a fund to help

cover the medical expenses of Holocaust survivors.

Whereas the annihilation of 6,000,000 European Jews during

the Holocaust and the murder of millions of others by the

Nazi German state constitutes one of the most tragic episodes in the history of man’s inhumanity to man;

Whereas there are more than 125,000 Holocaust survivors

living in the United States and approximately 500,000

living around the world;
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Whereas aging Holocaust survivors throughout the world are

still suffering from permanent injuries suffered at the

hands of the Nazis, and many are unable to afford critically needed medical care;

Whereas, while the German Government has attempted to address the needs of Holocaust survivors, many are excluded from reparations because of onerous eligibility requirements imposed by the German Government;

Whereas the German Government often rejects Holocaust

survivors’ claims on the grounds that the survivor did not

present the claim correctly or in a timely manner, that

the survivor cannot demonstrate to the Government’s satisfaction that a particular illness or medical condition is

the direct consequence of persecution in a Nazi-created

ghetto or concentration camp, or that the survivor is not

considered sufficiently destitute;

Whereas tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors in the

former Soviet Union and other formerly Communist

countries in Eastern and Central Europe have never received reparations from Germany and a smaller number

has received a token amount;

Whereas, after more than 50 years, hundreds of thousands

of Holocaust survivors continue to be denied justice and

compensation from the German Government;

Whereas the German Government pays generous disability

pensions to veterans of the Nazi armed forces, including

non-German veterans of the Waffen-SS;

Whereas in 1996 the German Government paid

$7,700,000,000 in such pensions to 1,100,000 veterans,

including 3,000 veterans and their dependents now living

in the United States;
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Whereas such pensions are a veteran’s benefit provided over

and above the full health coverage that all German citizens, including veterans of the Waffen-SS, receive from

their government; and

Whereas it is abhorrent that Holocaust survivors should live

out their remaining years in conditions worse than those

enjoyed by the surviving former Nazis who persecuted

them: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the German Government should expand and

4 simplify its system of reparations so that all Holo5 caust survivors can receive reparations, regardless of

6 their nationality, length or place of internment, or

7 current financial situation;

8 (2) the German Government should provide

9 reparations to Holocaust survivors in the former So10 viet Union and other former Communist countries in

11 Eastern and Central Europe;

12 (3) the German Government should fulfill its

13 responsibilities to victims of the Holocaust and im14 mediately set up a comprehensive medical fund to

15 cover the medical expenses of all Holocaust survivors

16 worldwide; and

17 (4) the German Government should help restore

18 the dignity of Holocaust survivors by paying them

19 sufficient reparations to ensure that no Holocaust
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1 survivor be forced by poverty to live in conditions

2 worse than those generally enjoyed by the surviving

3 former Nazis who persecuted them.

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