Germany will allocate 25 million euros for Holocaust survivors affected by the October 7 attacks

“Symbolic payment” On Tuesday, April 9, Germany announced that it will allocate an additional fund of 25 million euros to its expenses intended to compensate victims of the Holocaust. This fund will provide one-time benefits to Holocaust survivors affected by the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel.

“Many Holocaust survivors have been particularly affected by Hamas attacks, from losing their homes to the loss of healthcare systems,” a German Finance Ministry official was quoted as saying by CNN.

A one-time benefit of 220 euros.

The Israel Solidarity Fund (SFI) consists of a one-time emergency payment from the German government of €220 per person. This is guaranteed by the Claims Conference in cooperation with the Israeli government’s Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority (HSRA), according to a press release issued on Tuesday. This payment is specifically intended for Holocaust survivors living in Israel who were affected by the October 7 attacks. The total budget of the SFI program is 25 million euros, as specified in the press release.

The Claims Conference, an acronym for the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, is an organization that has advocated compensation for victims of the Holocaust since 1951. It coordinates with the German government the payment of benefits specifically intended to compensate victims, as well as to provide for its own needs as a token of reparation.

“In the immediate aftermath of the horrific attacks on October 7, we began working to ensure that every survivor was first safe, then in a safe place where they could feel comfortable, and to ensure they were supported financially while the conflict continued. This additional symbolic payment from Germany to Holocaust survivors in Israel sends a message of solidarity,” responded Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference.

This single benefit will affect about 113,000 people. Its payment has already begun in March, the Claims Conference clarifies, and could be extended over several months depending on the benefits already received by certain victims. In total, since the creation of this program in 1952, the German government has spent more than 85 billion euros to compensate for losses and damages suffered by victims of Nazism, the AP clarifies.