The passport of Prof. Dr. Franz Böhm – Luxembourg Agreement
The passport of Franz Böhm – Luxembourg Agreement
This passport from 1950, issued by the Military government for Germany belonged to Franz Böhm (16 February 1895, Konstanz – 26 September 1977, Rockenberg) who was a German politician, lawyer, and economist. Böhm was a member of the German Bundestag from 1953 until 1965. During this time he was the leader of the German delegation for the reparations negotiations with Israel. Most interesting also, Böhm became heavily involved throughout the following years in opposition groups such as the Bonhoeffer-Krise and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Erwin von Beckerath, a council of liberal economists opposed to Nazi economic practices. Only through name confusion resulting from a mistake by the Nazis was Böhm able to avoid arrest after the failed July 20 plot.
Throughout his time in the Bundestag Böhm remained deeply connected to the University of Freiburg and his students, continuing to provide seminars despite his role in the Bundestag. His political role remained secondary in importance to his career as an instructor. Böhm died on 26 September 1977 in Rockenberg. The Franz-Böhm Schule, a Berufsschule in Frankfurt am Main, is named in his honor.
The passport of Franz Böhm – Luxembourg Agreement
His passport was over labeled with a sticker of the Allied High Commission for Germany (previous Military Government for Germany) and includes several visas to Switzerland. In early 1950, just 5 years after the end of WWII, an exit permit was necessary to leave Germany, as the visa to the USA on page 8 shows. Including an AMG revenue stamp. Page 11 shows probably one of the earliest USA visas in a German passport. Page 12 shows the validity of the passport, all European countries only. Interesting is, that Saar is listed here. Page 15 a visa to the Netherlands, page 21 to France.
The Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Luxemburger Abkommen “Luxembourg Agreement” or Wiedergutmachungsabkommen “Wiedergutmachung Agreement”, Hebrew: הסכם השילומים 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. The Federal Government instructed Frankfurt law professor Franz Böhm as head of the delegation to conduct the negotiations on the German side. The signatures were signed by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (as acting Foreign Minister) and Foreign Minister Moshe Scharett on 10 September 1952 in Luxembourg City Hall. The German Bundestag approved with a narrow majority on 18 March 1953.
The passport of Franz Böhm – Luxembourg Agreement
Interesting Early Israeli Passport 1953 – Not Valid For Germany
Tom Topol | Passport Historian & Author
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