Agreement was announced today between two government-appointed collection agencies on distribution of proceeds from heirless properties of victims of the Nazi era in Austria.
Collection agency A, which was set up to handle collection and allocation of funds of heirless property of Jewish victims will have the right, under the agreement, to dispose of about 80 percent of the proceeds, totaling at present some 70,000,000 schillings ($2,700,000). Collection agency B, set up to handle the same functions for non-Jewish heirless property, will dispose of the remaining 20 percent.
Additional proceeds are expected from the sale of securities and real properties of both categories of victims, as well as from results of some 600 claims now pending on such properties.
Representatives to the two agencies were named on recommendation of groups representing the victims. In the case of Collection Agency A. members were named on recommendations from the Committee for Jewish Claims on Austria, the Association of Austrian Jewish Communities and the World Council of Jews from Austria. Most of the funds to be allocated by Collection Agency A will be used to aid Jewish survivors now living in Austria.
Payments based on the agreement cannot begin until the Austrian parliament approves the required basic laws, which are now pending; The fund established for these purposes included a contribution by the West German Government.
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