Welcome
Reparations for injustice committed under NS regime
New Regulations since August 2014 regarding Compensation for Employment in a Ghetto
01.08.2014: the Federal Act on Pensions for Employment in a Ghetto came into effect by which the legal position of people who were working in a ghetto during the time of National Socialism improved. The changes affect current ZRGB-pensions as well as new applications.
The ZRGB from 2002 considered July1st 1997 the first possible start of pension payments which however demanded that the application for the pension payment had been filed by June 30th 2003. This deadline has now been lifted.
In the first couple of years most applications have been declined due to the high demands to fullfill the statuatory requirement of “Employment out of free will”. After the legal practice changed in 2009 many first declined applications could retroactively be granted after all. However, the payments could not start earlier then four years prior to the approval of the application due to the general retroactive period of 4 years of the German social law. This is why many recipients received payments only retroactively from 2005 on, though receiving additions for the delayed commencement of their pension payments. The new regulation excludes the ZRGB-pensions from that retroactive period of 4 years. Furthermore, for the future also work in Ghettos that were within the National Socialist area of influence (among others Slovakia, Romania) are considered…
If you are already receiving pension payments in accordance with the ZRGB you do not have to take action at the moment. Within the next couple of months the German pension authority (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) will contact you in writing. If you wish to apply for the first time or anew for a pension in accordance with the ZRGB please contact the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Nord, Friedrich-Ebert-Damm 245, 22159 Hamburg, Germany, phone: 0011-49-405300-0. Please quote – if you can – your German pension number (Versicherungsnummer – VSNR). If you do not know that number, please provide your date of birth and “Rente nach dem ZRGB” as a reference.
You may find further information here:
Information about German pension entitlements for former workers in a ghetto by the German Pension Authority PDF / 44 KB
Short information letter about German pension entitlements for former ghetto workers by the German Pension Authority PDF / 23 KB
Information about the Law for the Payment of Pensions for Employment in a Ghetto by the German Pension Authority PDF / 115 KB
Information on the entitlement to German pensions for former workers in a ghetto as to the latest adjudication of the Federal Social Court PDF / 51 KB- Forms by the German Pension Authority (for English version scroll down)
Ontime lump sum payments
The Federal government agreed on Oct. 1st 2007 on the Guidelines for work in a Ghetto. According to this any beneficiary may receive a lump sum payment at the amount of 2.000,- Euro. The Federal Office for Central Services and Unresolved Property Issues (Bundesamt für zentrale Dienste und offene Vermögensfragen) is going to check each individual case to see if maybe pensions from a former work like relationship are being payed.
No taxation on Ghetto pensions
In reference to information provided by the German Ministry of Finance social insurance pensions payed by the Ggerman federal pension authority which are being payed for time served in a Ghetto are not considered taxable income in Germany. They are considered tax free with regards to current payments as well as any back pay that might have occurred due to several decisions made by the German Social courts. Pensioners who are receiving a German pension solely for working in a Ghetto do not have to make a tax declaration in Germany according to German law. This even applies if the German taxation office (Finanzamt Neubrandenburg – RIA) already asked you to file such a declaration.
If you are also receiving pension payments for unforced labor after the war Germany has the right to tax you in accordance to the double taxation treaty between Germany and Canada. You will have to pay your taxes in Germany for pensions being paid as an old age pension.
Further Information on Compensation and “Child Survivors”
For inquiries regarding the compensation of “Child Survivors” please contact the Jewish Claim Conference.
For inquiries regarding possibilities of compensation please contact one of the following institutions:
- Jewish Claims Conference (Contact form)
- The Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future”
Compensation for National Socialist injustice from the Federal Ministry Of Finance - brochure PDF / 2 MB
Do you have any questions about the Ghetto Pensions?
FAQs regarding legislative amendments concerning the so-called ghetto pensions from the German pension insurance (ZRBG Amendment Act) - English translation
