Chapter Introduction : Wassenaar, 1952: Redefining Reparations

Abstract

This edited volume offers a new interpretation of the historically momentous 1952 Wassenaar negotiations between representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, and the Jewish Claims Conference to negotiate reparations, compensation, and restitution in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Wassenaar 1952 marked the first time that reparations were the subject of negotiations between representatives of victims and perpetrators following mass human rights violations and genocide. The reparations program that Germany established after the Holocaust eventually became a point of reference for many calling for reparations to deal with the aftermath of other atrocities – from colonialism to slavery – in contexts as diverse as Namibia, the United States, and beyond. Combining perspectives from history, anthropology, international relations, and transitional justice, this volume reassesses the course and global legacy of these negotiations. The book’s holistic and nuanced intervention in the study of the politics of repair makes it essential reading for students of history, law, transitional justice, and political science interested in the complex topic of reparations.