Albert Corrieri, a 102-year-old Frenchman, is seeking €43,000 in reparations for the forced labour he endured in Germany during World War II. Corrieri, who will turn 103 this year, was sent to work at a chemical plant in Germany in 1943 under the Compulsory Work Service (STO) program enforced by the French Vichy government.
At the age of 21, Corrieri was taken from his job as a plumber in Marseille and forced into more than two years of unpaid work at the IG Farben chemical plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. He remained there until American soldiers liberated the camp on April 15, 1945.
Now, nearly 80 years later, Corrieri has filed a case against the French state, seeking €43,000 in compensation for the forced labour. The amount is based on an hourly rate of approximately €10 for the over two years of work that Corrieri was forced to carry out. He has been fighting for reparations since the 1950s but only recently decided to take legal action with the advice of a historian.
“I want to be paid what I’m owed, not only for the money but for the dignity of it,” Corrieri said in an interview with Euronews. “If I don’t live long enough to spend it, I’ll leave it to my children.”
A court hearing for his case was held on Tuesday in Marseille. Corrieri’s lawyer, Michel Pautot, argued that the French state’s refusal to grant reparations would violate international law. According to Pautot, forced labour and deportation are crimes against humanity and cannot be time-barred.
The court’s public rapporteur pointed out that under the 1951 law allowing forced labourers to seek reparations, claims are subject to a statute of limitations starting from 1955. This could mean Corrieri may be too late to file his claim. A final ruling is expected on March 18.
Corrieri’s case draws attention to the larger issue of the exploitation of forced labourers during WWII, many of whom were deported to work in Nazi-controlled camps. Most of the survivors are now elderly, with only a few remaining to fight for justice and reparations.
This case follows a similar one filed in February by Pautot on behalf of another centenarian, Erpilio Trovati, whose request for reparations was rejected on the grounds of being too late. Trovati has since appealed the decision.
Pautot emphasized the importance of such legal battles for historical recognition. “The victims of the STO must not remain the forgotten victims of history,” he stated, underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to secure reparations and acknowledge the suffering endured by those forced into labour under Nazi occupation.