Vienna is rapidly becoming a city without Jews, as only some 43,000 Jews remain since Austria was incorporated into the Third Reich in 1938, Joseph C. Hyman, executive vice-chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee, disclosed today. A report received by the J.D.C. from the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde, central Austrian Jewish welfare organization, revealed that during the first year of the war more than 16,000 Jews had left Austria. Of the original Austrian Jewish population of 180,000 about 122,000 Jews have emigrated since Anschluss. Excess of deaths over births accounted for the remaining population shrinkage.
Of the Jews remaining in Vienna, nearly two-thirds are women and a little more than 3,000 are children under 18. More than 10,000 men and women are within the age limits suitable for emigration.
Analyzing the destinations of those already emigrated, the report showed that 29,000 went to the United States, about 8,000 to Palestine, more than 11,000 to Central and South American countries and more than 20,000 to other overseas lands. More than 54,000 Austrian refugees sought asylum in various countries throughout Europe, where large numbers of them still remain.
During August, 1940, the last month reported on, 30,600 needy Jews received cash support from the Multusgemeinde, while soup kitchens served close to 400,000 meals. In the same month, 6,400 people were given medical aid, while an additional 500 were supplied with clothing and furniture. Nearly 3,300 children were cared for in orphanages, nurseries, boys and girls homes or through assistance to children still living with parents; 840 aged people and 741 invalids were cared for in institutions. Thousands of adults and children participated in vocational retraining courses supported by the Kultusgemeinde, including agricultural reorientation.
“The equivalent of $598,000 was appropriated by the J.D.C. for the work of the Kultusgemeinde during the first twelve months of warfare,” Hyman said. “None of this money was remitted to Austria in the form of American dollars, however.”
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