BERLIN — An organization that handles claims on behalf of Jewish victims of the Nazis said Wednesday that Germany agreed to allocate a further $1.076 billion (€923.9 million) for Holocaust survivors ' home care around the world in the coming year.
The compensation was agreed with the German Ministry of Finance and represents the largest budget ever for the weak and vulnerable. Holocaust home care for survivors in the organization's history.
“This historic increase in funding for home care reflects the complex and growing needs of Holocaust survivors around the world,” said Gideon Taylor, president of the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also called the Claims Conference.
“While we are losing survivors at a rapid rate each year, those who remain are older, weaker and in greater need than ever before,” Taylor said in a written statement. “This budget is critical to giving each of them the opportunity to age in place, the dignity that was stolen from them in their youth.”
Average age of survivors receiving home care through Claims conference funding increased from 86 in 2018 to 88.5 in 2024. Data collected by the organization shows that survivors are experiencing more complex health needs and increased disability, with the number of survivors who qualify for ongoing care due to extreme disabilities such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and dementia nearly doubling over this period.
In addition, additional Hardship Fund payments, previously guaranteed to be paid annually to eligible individuals until 2027, were extended until 2028 at a rate of €1,450 per survivor, affecting more than 127,000 Holocaust survivors worldwide.
The Claims Conference predicted in April that about 200,000 the survivors are still alivemost of them live in Israel, the USA and Europe, but are also scattered around the globe.
In addition, righteous rescuers—non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust—currently receiving a monthly pension from the Claims Conference will be entitled to in-home care similar to that provided Jewish survivorsletting them live your last years with dignity in their homes, the group announced.
Colette Avital, a Holocaust survivor and member of the Claims Conference negotiating delegation, said it was “very important that 80 years after liberation, the German government remains responsible to those who suffered and survived.”
“Every survivor—and every rescuer—deserves to live with dignity, to be seen, heard and cared for,” Avital added.
Holocaust education funding was also extended until 2029 for a total of €175 million.
The funding comes at a time when knowledge about the Holocaust is declining and anti-Semitism increases sharply. Funding for educational programs will include initiatives for teacher training, academic research and medialike movies, games and virtual reality experience which have greater potential to reach a wider and more mainstream audience, the group said.
“It is critical that we invest in the future of Holocaust education while we still have living witnesses who can share their first-hand accounts of survival,” said Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference.
“This is our moral duty to Holocaust survivors and to the sixth millions killed“
