January 28 - February 4, 2000
Can Germany Pay for the Past?
The German government has given preliminary approval for a law establishing a $5.2 billion compensation fund for 1.24 million former Holocaust-era slaves and forced laborers. "But getting consensus on how much or how long the Germans should pay is impossible," says UAB German historian James Tent, Ph.D.
The victims' lawyers argue the compensation plan isn't enough because it allows Germany to deduct prior restitution payments. "It should have been higher, but it's impossible to calculate how much the victims should have received for slave labor, impaired health, death of family members, interruptions of careers, etc.
In effect, the [restitution] is symbolic, a token. While the Germans want closure, finding a plan to satisfy everyone is a dream."
Call Gail Short at (205)934-8931, or e-mail at [email protected].
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