Desiring to facilitate the reburial of the mortal remains of all German soldiers who fell in World War II in a cemetery suitably prepared for this purpose and to enable the possible repatriation of the mortal remains of these soldiers, have agreed as follows:
Article 1
The Government of the Republic of Egypt authorizes the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to establish a military cemetery on Egyptian territory, on a site to be agreed by both governments, for the interment of the mortal remains of German soldiers who fell in Egypt during the Second World War, without prejudice to the right of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to repatriate the mortal remains of soldiers to Germany.
The Government of the Republic of Egypt shall transfer to the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany the property necessary for the construction of the cemetery referred to in the first paragraph for an unlimited period and for a nominal annual lease of LE 1,-. The costs of maintenance and upkeep of this cemetery shall be borne by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Article 2
The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is authorized to import into Egypt, free of customs duties, taxes and fees of any kind, all materials, tools and works of art necessary for the establishment of the aforementioned cemetery.
Article 3
The exhumation and transfer of the bodies of German soldiers from Egypt to Germany shall require the consent of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Government of the Republic of Egypt shall permit such exhumation and transfer only if such consent is given.
Article 4
For the purposes of the present agreement, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany shall be exempt from the application of the laws and regulations concerning the exhumation and transfer of corpses, without prejudice to the requirements of public health and the International Agreement on the Transport of Corpses of February 10, 1937.
The Federal Republic of Germany is also exempt from all taxes and fees that would normally be payable for the exhumation and transfer of corpses.
Article 5
The Government of the Republic of Egypt consents to the assumption by the German government of the tasks arising in connection with this Agreement by the German War Graves Commission.
The Government of the Republic of Egypt shall support the work of this organization and its representatives, particularly in the search for the graves of fallen German soldiers and in the identification of the dead.
Article 6
All details concerning the implementation of this agreement shall be settled between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany or the German organization named in Article 5 and the competent Egyptian authorities.
Article 7
This agreement shall come into force on the nineteenth day of July, 1953.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have hereunto set their hands and affixed their seals.
DONE at Cairo this twenty-second day of February in the year one thousand nine hundred and fifty-six
, in duplicate, in the German and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authentic. An official English translation of the agreement is attached.
signed B e c k e r signed F a w z i
Kassel, June 7, 1956
Gs/Fr
and the Republic of Egypt of February 25, 1957
Article 8
The Government of the Republic of Egypt shall ensure the protection of German war graves and the permanent right of burial for the German dead and shall endeavor to keep the surroundings of the German war gravesites (in particular 1 square kilometer around El Alamein) free of all facilities that are incompatible with the dignity of these sites.
Should any land on which German war graves are located be needed for any other use for imperative public reasons, the Government of the Republic of Egypt shall make available to the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany other suitable land and shall bear the costs of the reburial of the dead and of the preparation of the new graves.
The selection of the new site, its preparation and the implementation of the reburials will be carried out by mutual agreement.
The free disposal of the above-mentioned land gives the Volksbund the authority to carry out all construction and beautification work at the German war cemetery, as well as the construction of a suitable access road, directly in accordance with the relevant Egyptian legal provisions. This work is exempt from all taxes and other levies.
The Commission is entitled to import equipment, vehicles, means of transport, materials and accessories from the Federal Republic of Germany that are necessary for the proper maintenance and decoration of the site, in accordance with Article 2, free of customs duties, taxes, levies and fees of any kind to Egypt.
Article 9
The supplement on German war graves in Egypt applies in connection with the agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Egypt of February 25, 1957, and comes into force with effect from.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the mutual plenipotentiaries have affixed their signatures and seals to this agreement.
SEEN at Cairo on
in duplicate in the German and Arabic languages, whereby the wording in both languages is equally binding. An official English translation of the agreement is attached
For the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
For the Government of the Republic of Egypt