Polish American Congress
New Jersey Division

The Voice of a Million Americans of Polish Heritage in the Garden State

Messages from the Executive Committee of the Polish American Congress - NJ Division

IOM AND THE POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS JOIN EFFORTS TO REACH FORMER LABORERS UNDER THE NAZI REGIME   Washington, D.C.  – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Polish American Congress (PAC) have recently formalized efforts to reach Polish-speaking Americans who were victimized under the Nazi regime during World War II and who may qualify for compensation from a new German Foundation.  As part of a worldwide information campaign, the IOM is reaching out to various associations that can act as multipliers for the disbursement of information concerning the German Forced Labor Compensation Program.  In the United States, where a number of potential claimants are members of the Polish-speaking immigrant community, the IOM has arranged for the Polish American Congress to operate a helpline. Using guidelines translated into Polish by the IOM, PAC staff will begin assisting potential Polish-speaking claimants who wish to make application to the IOM.   (February 16, 2001) The International Organization on Migration (IOM) in early February signed a formal agreement with the Polish American Congress to reach Polish speaking survivors, living in the US, Canada and the Caribbean, who were victimized under the Nazi Regime during World War II, and who may qualify for compensation. Eligible claimants will be paid up to $7500 for slave laborers, up to $2500 per person for forced laborers and up to $1000 for agricultural workers, who were taken from their homes and forced to work for the Germans during World War II. The IOM has been selected by the German Foundation to process applications and pay claims to those survivors currently living in "the Rest of the World" category, meaning outside the former Soviet bloc countries of Central Europe. Deadline for submitting applications is August 11, 2001.                       To date, over 130,536 non-Jewish claimants from over 40 countries have contacted the IOM worldwide. Some 6,779 of these potential applicants reside within the United States and Canada. Non-Jewish claimants residing in Canada, the United States or the Caribbean may contact IOM Washington:   Toll free:  1 866 443 5187 International Organization for Migration By post:   1752 N St., NW Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036 Toll-free tel no: 1 866 443 5187 By fax: 202 862 1879 Via e-mail: GFLCP-DC@iom.int Polish speaking applicants in Canada and the United States may contact the Polish American Congress helpline:   Toll free: 1 866 480 1944 Email: forced-labor@www.polamcon.org If you are Jewish, and would like to apply for compensation please contact the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, 15 East 26th Street, New York, NY 10010.  Web site: www.claimscon.org Deadline for application: The deadline for applications is 11 August 2001. Potential applicants should register their name and address/contact information with IOM as soon as possible. Do not send original documents. IOM staff will guide applicants through the claims procedure.  IOM assistance and claims handling is free of charge. For more information on this program, the other partner organizations or IOM offices, please consult IOM’s website: http://www.compensation-for-forced-labour.org       [END]   Return to Polish American Congress - NJ Division Home Page