Berlin – German Judge Known For Holocaust Advocacy Settles Case

Berlin – A German judge known for his advocacy for Holocaust victims and a state Justice Ministry have settled a defamation dispute out of court.

The North Rhine-Westphalia ministry said Tuesday it reached an agreement with judge Jan-Robert von Renesse. It said both sides agreed not to release further details.

Von Renesse made a reputation with Jewish groups for his years of lobbying to make it easier for Holocaust survivors to receive pension payments for their work in Nazi-era ghettos.

The state had accused him of defaming other judges and officials in a letter he wrote to Parliament in 2012 in connection with his work on the pensions, threatening him with a 5,000 euro ($5,600) fine.

Germany in 2014 committed a half-billion dollars to fund pensions for some 40,000 Holocaust survivors.