Hardship Fund
The Hardship Fund 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 a one-time payment of 2,556.46 EUR.
Eligibility under the Hardship Fund is limited to Jewish Nazi victims who were persecuted as Jews and who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Suffered deprivation of liberty (such as, ghetto, forced labor, camp, hiding or false identity); or
- Fled from the Nazi regime; or
- Fled between June 22, 1941 and January 27, 1944 from areas of the Soviet Union that were generally up to 100 kilometers from the most easterly advance of the German army (Wehrmacht) but were not later occupied by the Nazis; or
- Stayed in Leningrad at some time between September 1941 and January 1944 or if they fled from there during this period; or
- Suffered “restriction of liberty” as defined by the German Government, (such as were forced to wear the Star of David); or
- Were restricted in movement, like lived under curfew, suffered compulsory registration with limitation of residence, (e.g. résidence forcée), etc; or
- Suffered during the relevant period Nazi persecution in Algeria such as loss of education, loss of property or economic, professional and social restrictions; or
- Were a fetus at the time that their mother suffered persecution described above.
Other Eligibility Requirements:
Previous Compensation
If you receive/d payment from one of the following programs, you are NOT eligible for a Hardship Fund payment:
- A payment from the German Federal Indemnification Law (BEG) that was equal to or higher than the current Hardship Fund payment amount (€2,556); 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; or
- The CEE Fund; or
- The Holocaust Victim Compensation Fund (HVCF).
Important note: As part of the global agreements reached between the Federal Republic of Germany and 11 separate Western European governments, the German government made payments to those Western European governments as compensation for Nazi-era wrongs suffered by its citizens. Some of these Western European governments made payments to certain Nazi victims with these funds. Recipients of such compensation payments may be ineligible for a Hardship Fund payment. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility and your previous compensation, please contact us.
Important note: The German Government has recently restated that Jewish Nazi victims cannot receive a Hardship Fund payment if they were part of an organized evacuation. However, the German Government clarified that this restriction only applies to claimants who were the subject of an evacuation order. If you were part of an organized evacuation and were under 18 years of age at the time of evacuation and have not received any payment from the German Government, you may be eligible for a payment from the Hardship Fund.
For information on appeals, please see: https://www.claimscon.org/what-we-do/compensation/appeals/
