Equalisation of burdens for expellees, late repatriates and resettlers

You came to the Federal Republic of Germany as a displaced person or late repatriate from the German Eastern territories, the Eastern Bloc states or as a repatriate. For financial losses or for the loss of your professional existence that you suffered as a result of the 2nd World War, you could apply for compensation for burdens. However, the deadline for submitting applications for compensation for burdens expired on 31.12.1995. The deadline for submitting applications for war damage pensions also ended on 31.12.1999.

Pursuant to the Burden Equalization Act, the injured parties who had submitted their applications in due time were entitled to the following benefits in particular:

• Main compensation for the pecuniary loss incurred.
• War damage pension for the loss of livelihood or property.

You had to prove the pecuniary loss or the loss of professional existence by documents or by credible witness statements.

• In principle, you must have your residence in the Federal Republic of Germany on 01.01.1993.
• You must have German citizenship or German nationality.
• You must have suffered financial loss or lost your professional livelihood as a result of the events of the war.
• You must have submitted an application by 31 December 1995 (by 31 December 1999 in the case of KSR).

An application is no longer possible.

• Applications for burden-sharing benefits: expired on 31.12.1995
• Deadline for applications for war damage pensions: expired on 31.12.1999

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• If your losses compensated in the equalisation of burdens are fully or partially compensated after 31.12.1989 (restitution of assets, surrender of proceeds of disposal, restoration of full power of disposal as well as compensation according to the Compensation Act, the Equalisation Benefits Act or the Nazi Victims of Persecution Compensation Act), you must reimburse the excess amount of equalisation benefits granted.
• In principle, the following are liable for repayment:
  • the recipients of compensation benefits
  • their heirs or further heirs
  • as well as, in the case of property subject to succession, the subsequent heirs, insofar as these or their legal successors have received the compensation benefits (universal successors).
• Recovery: the basic amount of the principal compensation paid in excess due to compensation for damage plus the interest surcharge paid.