Court denies descendents compensation for nationalised company

The descedents of a Czech family that used to own an engineering firm nationalised in Prague under the so-called Benes Decrees has been denied compensation by a Prague court. Four descendents of the original family, who now live in Canada, were seeking 20 million crowns in compensation, the equivalent of around 660, 000 euros, for the J. Kaminecek and Co. firm which was nationalised in 1946. The nationalisation process in Czechoslovakia at the time affected companies employing more than 500.

On Friday the Prague court said its ruling followed legislation recognising restitution rights only after the cut-off date of 1948. The family's lawyer has said members plan to appeal.