Now this looks to be a hee-yooge sticky mess of a massive international lawsuit.

There’s buzz all ‘round the world on this one, getting to as far a corner as Japan – an outlet called Asyura, to be exact: Via the non-profit organization The Fisher Fund, 4,000 children of Holocaust survivors have filed a class-action lawsuit in a Tel Aviv court against the government of Germany for reparations to pay for their psychological care.

Based in Israel, The Fisher Fund was established seven years ago by attorney Gideon Fisher, whose parents Mali and Yosef were Holocaust survivors. The fund grants scholarships and assists in places where other organizations are unable to help.

As Asyura beautifully puts it, “All this time they kept silent. Growing in the shadow of post-traumatic Holocaust surviving parents, they suffered from violence, over-protection and unrealistic expectations. Some of them succeeded and even became famous, while others collapsed.”

The Western equivalent of this story typically involves the term “dysfunctional,” but in fact the ‘suit seeks to address mostly problems related to post-traumatic stress disorder, with case studies of some five children of survivors making up part of the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, Der Spiegel, a mammoth voice in the German news world, last week introed a piece that set the stage for Sunday’s filing.

Der mag’s take: “The sums involved have been enormous. For decades, the German government has paid out billions to Holocaust survivors in an attempt at recompense for the brutal crimes committed by the Nazis. But even as the World War II generation is rapidly shrinking, a new conflict is looming over who is responsible for the suffering of the next generation. And
Germany may soon find itself having to pay millions for the psychological treatment needed by the children of Holocaust survivors.”

Fisher Fund general director Baruch Mazor is getting quoted all over the world for statements explaining that “We tried to negotiate out of court,” that “we had no choice but to go to court” that the Fisher Fund is interested in finding a solution to an “objective problem,” and that “It’s not just a lawsuit, it’s the beginning of a movement.”

And “People in Israel feel we are doing something moral and important,” he said. “They say we are doing holy work.”

The price tag, by the way, would be between $10 million and $20 million per year.

This will be one to watch…

(The Fisher Fund reminds that second generation members in need of assistance or organizations wishing to help the second generation members can receive information by calling 972.77.200.9798.)