In a communique following today’s meeting of the Austrian Cabinet the government announced its intention to introduce, at the beginning of the Fall session of Parliament, a bill appropriating monies for a special Fund which will be established to aid persecutes permanently residing abroad.
This decision followed a report by Finance Minister Reinhardt Kamitz concerning the recent discussions with the representatives of Jewish organizations. Herr Kamitz referred to the fact that for persons currently resident in Austria who were persecuted between March 1933 and April 1945 there are in force in Austria numerous measures providing assistance in the field of employment and support for the aged and indigent.
The Minister stated that there are, however, many persons abroad who require aid because of the persecution which they suffered. He pointed out that the measures in force within Austria at the present time can only be applied for the benefit of persons residing abroad to a very limited extent. It will therefore be necessary to establish a special Fund for this group of persecutes. The Fund will make grants based on priorities based upon the need of claimants.
The Cabinet also approved a draft of a “Fourth Amendment to the Social Insurance Transitory Law” which will first of all eliminate certain discriminatory provisions in the field of social insurance against persons who emigrated from Austria because of political and racial persecution.
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.
