Skip to main content

Enemy-Occupied Countries (Restitution Of Property)

Volume 388: debated on Friday 2 April 1943

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

5.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that, although it is the declared intention of His Majesty's Government to dispossess the German Government of all the loot acquired during the war, it will not be practicable to restore it in every case to its rightful owners; and whether he will therefore issue a warning to the inhabitants of all occupied countries that they must not count on the restoration of property seized by, or handed over to, the Germans, when victory has been achieved by the United Nations?

His Majesty's Government joined with the other Allied Governments principally concerned in making a solemn declaration on 5th January, 1943, in which they announced their intention to do their utmost to defeat the methods of dispossession practised by the enemy Governments in the occupied countries, and to reserve all their rights to declare invalid all transfers or dealings whatsoever in the occupied territories. The wording of the Declaration makes it clear that the Allied Governments are fully alive to the practical difficulties of restitution, but will, I hope, be taken as an earnest of their intention to do everything possible to effect it. I do not think that any statement such as my hon. Friend has in mind is, therefore, necessary.

Does my right hon. Friend not think that the recent pronouncement by the Lord Chancellor in another place might give the impression to the inhabitants of occupied countries that they could hand over their property to the Germans with impunity, counting with certainty on getting it back after the war; and is it not desirable to issue a warning to these people that they cannot count on getting their property back after the war?

We shall do our best to get it back for them. That, I think, is the light answer.