“There are difficulties in the administration of the indemnification and restitution laws” in West Germany, it was conceded here today by Erich Ollenhauer, chairman of the Social Democratic Party and leader of the opposition to the Bonn Government.
Dr. Ollenhauer came here today to pay his official respects to United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. His party is seeking to unseat the government of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.
Asked by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the lag in West Germany’s full implementation of the indemnification and restitution laws for victims of the Nazi regime, Dr. Ollenhauer said: “There certainly are difficulties in the administration. We must remember, however, that most of those difficulties take place only on the state rather than the national level. Many of those difficulties are technical and do not reflect any ill will. However, they certainly will have to be solved.”
The Social Democratic Party wants normal diplomatic relations between West Germany and Israel, he said, and “the Bonn-Isael relationships should be solved in the near future.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.