Central and Eastern European Fund

The CEEF is administered by the Claims Conference, but is governed by eligibility criteria established by the German government. The Claims Conference encourages people who think that they may have a claim to apply. If you have any questions concerning your eligibility, please contact your local Claims Conference office.

Under this program, eligible applicants receive monthly payments of €600, paid in quarterly installments.

Eligibility under the CEEF Fund is limited to Jewish Nazi victims who were persecuted as Jews and who meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Were incarcerated in a concentration camp* or or in a camp or labor battalion during specific time periods as defined by the German Ministry of Finance on their website; or
  • Were imprisoned for at least 3 months in a ghetto as defined by the German Ministry of Finance; or
  • Were imprisoned for at least 3 months in certain “open ghettos” as defined by the German Ministry of Finance; or
  • Were in hiding for at least 4 months, under inhumane conditions, without access to the outside world in German Nazi occupied territory or Nazi satellite states (Nazi instigation); or
  • Lived illegally under false identity or with false papers for at least 4 months under inhumane conditions in German Nazi occupied territory or Nazi satellite states (Nazi instigation); or
  • Were a fetus during time that their mother suffered persecution as described above.

The German government and the Claims Conference have agreed that applications from Holocaust survivors who were in a concentration camp or a camp or labor battalion recognized by the German Ministry of Finance (see above), for a period of time less than 3 months, and do not receive an ongoing pension from the BEG, German Länderhärtefonds, Berlin PRVG, Austrian OpferfürsorgG, Israeli Ministry of Finance, Article 2 Fund or the Central and Eastern European Fund (CEEF), will be submitted by the Claims Conference for review by the Ministry of Finance to see whether those cases are cases of special hardship. Such survivors should contact the Claims Conference.

Other Eligibility Requirements:

Geography

The Central and Eastern European Fund (CEEF) is for persons who currently reside in any of the former communist-bloc countries of Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union.

Previous Compensation

If you receive a pension from one of the following programs, you are NOT eligible for a CEEF pension:

  • The German Federal Indemnification Law (BEG); or
  • A pension from the Israeli ministry of finance under the Israeli Nazi persecutions disabled persons law 5717-1957; or
  • The Austrian Law Regarding Relief For Victims (OFG); or
  • The Law On Recognizing And Supporting People Persecuted By The Nazis For Political, Racial Or Religious Reasons (PrVG); or
  • The Pension For Victims Of The Nazi Regime In The Former GDR (VDN); or
  • The Article 2 Fund.

Important Note: All applicants are urged to check the Claims Conference website regularly as amendments to the criteria and clarifications are posted as they become available.