The question of Austrian-Jewish negotiations on Jewish claims for compensation and restitution for damages suffered under the Nazi regime, was raised in the Austrian Parliament today by Social Democratic deputies.
Chancellor Julius Raab, who replied for the government, said that during the negotiations with representatives of the world Jewish organizations the Austrians had made it clear that there were victims other than the Jews who were claiming compensation. He added that laws which provided for compensation to the Jews would in effect not grant equal treatment to all the victims of the Nazi regime which, he insisted, was a violation of the principles of the Austrian constitution.
The Chancellor declared that the negotiations had served chiefly to clarify what the demands of the Jewish groups were, and whether they were justified.
Meanwhile, Jewish community leaders here have hit out at the Austrian Government for having broken off the talks with the representatives of world Jewish organizations on claims for restitution, and have called on the Austrian Government to resume negotiations.
The community newspaper “Neue Welt” today charged that the government holds the view that the Jews should “beg humbly” for the resumption of the talks. It pointed out that in this respect the Bonn Government has shown a “much kindlier” attitude toward the Jews than the Raab Government.
“It is no secret that an agreement has been reached or could be reached very easily on all problems except the demand for a lump sum settlement of heirless Jewish property claims,” the Jewish organ reports.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
