E. Germany Gives Award to Jewish Leader Bronfman

East German President Erich Honecker on Monday presented an award to Edgar M. Bronfman, president of the World Jewish Congress, who is in East Germany to discuss reparation payments to Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust.

At a ceremony in the Council of State building, Honecker gave Bronfman the Grand Star of People’s Friendship in recognition of Bronfman’s work for peace, international cooperation and understanding.

“We will never forget that many Jews together with Communists, Social Democrats and other progressive forces actively took part in the fight against the Nazi dictatorship,” Honecker said in a speech, according to the official East German news service ADN.

Bronfman arrived in East Berlin on Sunday at the invitation of East German Foreign Minister Oskar Fischer to discuss the reparations issue.

Bronfman, chairman and chief executive officer of the Seagram Co., Ltd., of Montreal, declined specific comment on the issue after a meeting with Honecker. He called the talks “pleasant, very warm and very cordial.” He said that “we agreed on all the fundamentals,” adding that details of the discussion will be announced today. Until recently, East Germany insisted that it had no responsibility for the crimes of Nazi Germany. But in June, Honecker told Heinz Galinski, head of the West German Jewish community, that East Germany was willing to give humanitarian aid to Jewish survivors who needed it. Galinski said the sum of $100 million was mentioned.

West Germany has paid more than $50 billion to Israel and Jews throughout the world.