FIR: Indignation and disappointment about decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court

The "International Federation of Resistance Fighters" (FIR) reacted with indignation and disappointment to the judgement of the German Federal Constitutional Court to reject the process request of relatives of the victims of the SS massacre of Distimo / Greece.

Thus the relatives of the victims of the fascist mass crime, which more than 300 men and women fell to victim, any possibility for the remuneration is denied.

The procedure - like already in the lower legal instances - expenditure-levered with formal cheat. An individual claim for damages of particulars after war actions does not exist, an official liability agreement did not exist at that time, thus the concerning could not file a lawsuit against the Federal Republic of Germany.

To the decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court the Greek victims also cannot require any help from the payments of compensation of Germany on racial and politically pursued Nazi-victims, because the crimes were "only war crimes".

"It is scandalous, that the court affirmed after the war there had been already a remuneration to Greece ", underlined the Secretary-General of the FIR, Dr. Ulrich Schneider. It is well-known that the Greek government was pressurized in earlier years substantial to raise no demands to Germany although Greek courts would have confirmed the requirements of the victims into highest instances.

"While the victims of fascist policy loose their rights and are mocked, we can see on the other side the fact that tradition federations of war criminals, like for example the mountain hunter company, which annually meet at the Brenten in Mittenwald, are supported by German Federal Armed Forces. That is a scandal," declared Dr. Schneider. More than 60 years after the end of the fascist regime the judgement of the Federal Constitutional Court shows, how actually the demand remains: "Remuneration of the victims! Stop the honour of the war criminals!"

gez. Dr. Ulrich Schneider
General Secretary