Germany increases funding for Holocaust survivors by $88 million

(JTA)—Germany has agreed to increase its funding for social welfare services for Holocaust survivors by $88 million.

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany in its announcement Tuesday said the increase brings global allocations by Germany for 2019 to $564 million.

The Claims Conference and representatives of the German government negotiated the increase in Washington, D.C. During the negotiations, the German officials were taken on a tour of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and heard from survivors about their personal experiences.

“The significant increase for social welfare services secured by our negotiating team will lead to more home care, food support, medicine and transportation services for Jewish Holocaust survivors around the world,” said Claims Conference President Julius Berman.

Also as a result of the negotiations, 55,000 Holocaust survivors in Central and Eastern Europe will see an increase in pensions and more child survivors who were living in hiding or under a false identity will be eligible to receive payments.