Sühnegeld

Sühnegeld, literally "atonement money," is a term used to describe monetary compensation paid by the German state to victims of Nazi persecution or their survivors as a form of moral redress for the crimes of the Nazi era. It developed in the context of postwar reparations policy and is situated within the broader framework of Wiedergutmachung (restitution and repair), which sought to acknowledge guilt and provide relief to those harmed.

The concept denotes a one-time or limited financial acknowledgment rather than a comprehensive pension system. Sühnegeld was intended to recognize suffering linked to persecution on grounds such as race, religion, political opposition, or other forms of Nazi oppression, and to accompany other measures of compensation and restitution available through later laws and programs. It operated alongside ongoing schemes like the Bundesentschädigungsgesetz (BEG), which provided pensions and additional support to victims, but it was separate in its status as a symbolic and targeted gesture of atonement.

Critics have noted that Sühnegeld varied in scope and adequacy, and that, in many cases, it did not fully compensate for losses or the broader impact of persecution. Nevertheless, the concept contributed to the evolving German policy of recognizing victims of Nazi crimes and laid groundwork for later, more inclusive compensation schemes.

See also: Wiedergutmachung, German reparations policy, Bundesentschädigungsgesetz (BEG).