Confiscation
SIR,—In your issue of August 29th and under the heading of " The Case of Herr Krupp" you state that "confiscation of private property in Germany has never been part of the policy of the Allies." What of the private property of ex-enemies held in Great Britain ?
Up to the outbreak of the 1914 war such property, unless I am greatly mistaken, was never " confiscated "rhor that of persons who by marriage to foreigners lost their British nationality and ranked equally as enemies. A relative of mine who in the year 1903 married a German and subsequently lived in Austria until her death had all her British assets " confiscated" but I believe a clause was inserted in the various Peace Treaties that in cases of this kind compensation should be paid by the ex-enemy Governments. Such a clause of course removed the stigma of confiscation or theft although it was known perfectly well that the currencies of the ex-enemy states were practically worthless. This relative of mine held inter alia 150 National Bank of Egypt shares. She received for this holding the equivalent of £1 10s.—Yours
Previous page
