Nemačka odšteta žrtvama pseudomedicinskih eksperimenata u Jugoslaviji
German Indemnification for the Victims of Pseudo-Medical Experiments in Yugoslavia

Author(s): Zoran Janjetović
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, Economic history, Political history, Health and medicine and law, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Cold-War History
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: Pseudo-medical experiments; Indemnification; Yugoslavia; Germany
Summary/Abstract: In 1951 Germany expressed its willingness to indemnify the victims of Nazi pseudo-medical experiments. The Yugoslav diplomacy availed itself of this opportunity, collecting some 1500 applications by 1956. However, the solution of the problem was delayed by the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries in October 1957. Eventually German bureaucracy sifted the applications early in 1959, and in May 112 victims were subjected to medical examination. The year 1960 passed in futile negotiations. Later that year, the Yugoslav diplomacy suggested lump payment, but used the opportunity to announce their demand for a (much larger) payment of indemnification for „victims of Nazi persecutions”. The agreement on indemnification for the victims of pseudo-medical experiments was reached on 25 April 1961. Under the treaty, Yugoslavia received DM 1.75 million. Since late 1961 the Yugoslav officials strove to revise the settlement and to increase the sum. This was eventually achieved on 7 September 1963. Germany conceded to grant DM 7,950,000 for the victims of pseudomedical experiments – not least in order to avoid paying a much higher sum for other Nazi victims. The Yugoslav side used both matters to pressurize Germany – the victims being only an excuse to get some money for the socialist economy.

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