On This Day

Germany and Israel reach an agreement on reparations payments

The Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Luxemburger Abkommen, "Luxembourg Agreement", or Wiedergutmachungsabkommen, "Wiedergutmachung Agreement"; Hebrew:...

The Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Luxemburger Abkommen, "Luxembourg Agreement", or Wiedergutmachungsabkommen, "Wiedergutmachung Agreement"; Hebrew: הסכם השילומים, romanized: Heskem HaShillumim, "Reparations Agreement") was signed on September 10, 1952, and entered in force on March 27, 1953. According to the Agreement, West Germany was to pay Israel for the costs of "resettling so great a number of uprooted and destitute Jewish refugees" after the war, and to compensate individual Jews, via the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, for losses in Jewish livelihood and property resulting from Nazi persecution.

Events Before

  1. American actor Burgess Meredith (43) weds (his 4th and final time) Swedish-American ballerina Kaja Sundsten (21), until

    American actor Burgess Meredith (43) weds (his 4th and final time) Swedish-American ballerina Kaja Sundsten (21), until his death in 1997

  2. "La Vie Commence Demain," the first X-rated movie depicting artificial insemination, opens in London

    "La Vie Commence Demain," the first X-rated movie depicting artificial insemination, opens in London

  3. English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 1st divorce from American hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr. after nearly 9 months

    English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 1st divorce from American hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr. after nearly 9 months of marriage

  4. American civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois (83) weds award-winning author Shirley Graham (54) in Queens, New York

    American civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois (83) weds award-winning author Shirley Graham (54) in Queens, New York

  5. American actress and singer Doris Day (29) weds American film and television producer Martin Melcher (35) in Burbank, Ca

    American actress and singer Doris Day (29) weds American film and television producer Martin Melcher (35) in Burbank, California, until his death in 1968

Events After

  1. Hank Williams dies

    Hank Williams, American singer, songwriter, and musician, known for american singer, songwriter, and musician, died on 1953-01-01.

  2. Ernest Bloch's work for viola and piano, "Suite Hébraïque," part of his "Jewish Cycle," premieres in Chicago

    Ernest Bloch's work for viola and piano, "Suite Hébraïque," part of his "Jewish Cycle," premieres in Chicago

  3. US President Harry Truman announces the United States’ development of the hydrogen bomb

    Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953.

  4. Cricketer Richie Benaud (22) weds Marcia Lavender at the Wesley Church in Sydney, Australia

    Cricketer Richie Benaud (22) weds Marcia Lavender at the Wesley Church in Sydney, Australia

  5. US Court of Appeals rules that organized baseball is a sport and not a business, affirming the 25-year-old Supreme Court

    US Court of Appeals rules that organized baseball is a sport and not a business, affirming the 25-year-old Supreme Court ruling

More from the 1950s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 28, 1952?
The Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Luxemburger Abkommen, "Luxembourg Agreement", or Wiedergutmachungsabkommen, "Wiedergutmachung Agreement"; Hebrew: הסכם השילומים, romanized: Heskem HaShillumim, "Reparations Agreement") was signed on September 10, 1952, and entered in force on March 27, 1953. According to the Agreement, West Germany was to pay Israel for the costs of "resettling so great a number of uprooted and destitute Jewish refugees" after the war, and to compensate individual Jews, via the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, for losses in Jewish livelihood and property resulting from Nazi persecution.
Why is Germany and Israel reach an agreement on reparations payments historically important?
According to the Agreement, West Germany was to pay Israel for the costs of "resettling so great a number of uprooted and destitute Jewish refugees" after the war, and to compensate individual Jews, via the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, for losses in Jewish livelihood and property resulting from Nazi persecution.

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