P.
.
`The hell with it.' They wear you out."
Ester Moncznik, 82, of
Southfield, and Lola Kwasniewski,
72, of Oak Park, close friends and
workout partners at the Jimmy
Prentis Morris branch of the Jewish
Community Center, had to fight to
get pensions.
Both grew up in small Polish
towns, were forced into slave labor
factories making ammunition for
Germany, and fled to Israel after the
war. They were paid pensions in Israel,
but once they emigrated to America
— Moncznik in 1957, Kwasniewski in
1963 — their compensation payments
were cancelled.
They refiled in the early `90s and
now receive payments of about $800
every three months. They file claims
to receive slave labor payments and
constantly deal with lawyers from
Israel, Germany and Washington,
D.C.
All four of these survivors filed for
claims through Jewish Family Service,
which handles the Conference on
Material Claims Against Germany's
Hardship Funds and Article .2 Funds,
Swiss bank claims and any other type
of claim for Detroit area survivors.
The JFS also receives money from the
Claims Conference for a home care
program, which assists survivors in
transportation and house cleaning.
Organized from a meeting of 23
major Jewish and international organi-
zations in 1951, the Claims
Conference fought for and won com-
pensation in many forms, including
direct compensation from the West
German Government to former
German citizens, refugees and stateless
persons in the form of lifetime pen-
sions.
Over 270,000 victims have received
pensions since 1952; 100,000 still do.
In recent years, the Conference has
worked out two agreements with the
German government.
The Conference's Hardship Fund, a
one-time payment of 5,000 deutsch
marks (about $2,800), was created in
1980 for survivors who were refugees
from Soviet-bloc' countries. So far over
300,000 have applied for the grant,
and over 188,000 have received the
payment.
The Conference's Article 2 Fund,
created in 1990, is a one-time pay-
ment of 5,000 deutsche marks and
monthly installments of 500 deutsche
marks for persons who survived six
months in a concentration camp, or
spent 18 months in a labor camp,
ghetto, or in hiding.
The fund is controlled by the
Claims Conference, but limited by the
German government to individuals
who make less than $16,000 or a
combined $24,000 for married cou-
ples. Beginning Jan. 1, 1999, survivors
over 70 years old will be able to omit
Social Security from their income, a
spokesperson said.
The two funds have disbursed a
total of $778 million. Over 406,000
claims have been filed.
According to Dave Moss, director
of marketing and development at
Jewish Family Service, the restitution
program has helped about 1,900 sur-
vivors file claims in 40 years, and of
the current caseload of 1,000, about
80 percent receive some type of resti-
tution.
He attributed the holdup to the
German government. The strict guide-
lines state that applications must be
filled out in German; spelling and
grammar must be correct.
"It's a time-consuming process,
everyone goes through the forms with
a fine-tooth comb," Moss said.
He guesses that delays in receiving
money stem from the red tape found
in a large bureaucracy.
William Marks, a private practice
attorney based in Washington, D.C.,
who specializes in Holocaust claims,
said lack of information in filing is the
culprit.
"I could spend three hours just
talking- about the different forms, he
said. "There is a vacuum of informa-
tion. Survivors don't know their rights.
"I do my best to educate, but
education does not always equal
victory," he said.
The German government
has imposed certain restric-
tions, of which survivors may
not be aware, he said. Some
concentration and slave labor
camps are excluded from certain
forms.
"A number of people who get life-
time pension payments don't realize
the very complicated legal and medical
process involved in getting an increase
in those payments," he said.
"Survivors are filing claims and being
routinely rejected. The process has to
be done a certain way."
He also cites delays caused by tens
of thousands of applications of all
kinds, with staff on all sides unable to
keep pace.
But claims for money aren't the
only problems facing survivors.
Dr. Charles Silow, a psychologist
who has treated about 100 survivors,
said although a high percentage of his
patients have legitimate claims, many
didn't apply for reparations. They
"didn't want German blood money.
How much is a dead family member
worth?" he said.
Later on, they needed money
because of retirement, fixed income,
or the death of spouse, but claims for
those pensions expired in 1965.
But last year, at the Shaarey Zedek
meeting, Marks was brought in to give
an overview about the claims process.
As a result, Silow said, "a lot" of sur-
vivors have applied for Article 2 funds
as well as increases in their compensa-
tion.
"Every survivor will react dif-
/ ferently," he said. "The
reparations take on a particular mean-
ing to each of them."
Psychologically, Silow added,
"Going after claims brings memories
back in a more focused way. Typically,
they have to see a doctor, talk to an
interviewer, and collect their medical
records."
Many need the money to survive,
but all are skeptical that they'll receive
it.
Yet, survivors keep filing claims.
"It's a terrible thing what they do,
the memories we have to live with,"
said Bolton.
Moncznik shares the same view.
"It's tough on me to think about it,"
she said. "I suffered a long time." ❑
• Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against
Germany, Inc.
Assists Holocaust survivors in obtaining compensation from
the German government for suffering during the Holocaust.
The Hardship Fund, a one-time payment of DM 5,000, was cre-
ated in 1980 for survivors who were refugees from Soviet bloc
countries.
The Article 2 Fund is a one-time payment of DM 5,000 and
monthly installments of DM 500 given to persons who survived six months
in a concentration camp, 18 months in a labor camp, ghetto, or in hiding.
(212) 696-4944
• Jewish Family Service Indemnification and
Restitution Services
An agency of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit and the United Way, it handles all claims of
Holocaust survivors. (248) 559-1500
• New York State Banking
Department Holocaust Claims Processing Office
The New York State Banking Department Holocaust Claims
Processing Office is the only governmental agency in the
world formed to assist survivors to recover assets from Swiss
banks, monies never paid from European insurance compa-
nies, and lost or looted art.
So far, a total of 1900 claims have been filed through the
office, 1,100 claims to Swiss banks. Those claimants, if
approved, will share in the $1.25 billion settlement reached last
week.
Authorized in 1997 by Governor George Pataki, assists individuals of all
backgrounds in seeking to recover assets deposited in Swiss banks, monies
never paid in connection with insurance policies issued by European insur-
ance companies, and art that was lost or looted. (800) 695-
3318
U.S. Department of Justice Foreign Claims
Settlement Commission of the IThited
States
Made an agreement in September 1995 for compen-
sation to HoloCaust survivors who were U.S. citizens
at the time of their internment in a concentration camp
and had not previously received German government compensation. Ten
people shared $2.1 million.
❑
8/21
1998
Detroit Jewish News
9