Austria and Jewish Claims Committee to Resume Talks on May 9

Representatives of the Austrian Government and the Jewish Committee for Claims on Austria will resume talks on restitution for victims of the Nazis on May 9, it was announced here today. The government will be conferring with a number of groups interested in restitution during the week of May 5-11.

Jewish circles here are not concerned by the indication in government quarters yesterday that the government sees these talks as “preliminary” in nature. The Jews point out that the claims committee team is not prepared to sign any agreement at that time and that such signature must be by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, presiding officer of the world-wide Jewish committee. It is authoritatively learned that Austrian Chancellor Julius Raab has invited Dr. Goldmann to come to Vienna during the second half of May.

(In New York, it was learned from reliable sources that finalization of the agreement by Dr. Goldmann and his going to Vienna would depend on the nature of the proposals which the Austrian Government makes.)

Meanwhile, Austrian Jewish circles have voiced apprehension over the fate of a clause in the draft of the Austrian state treaty, which may be signed by the four occupation powers this year. Article 38 of that treaty reserves to the Austrian Government the right to demand of Germany the return of property the Nazis took out of Austria to Germany.

A considerable portion of that property consists of Jewish assets, including the contents of safe deposit vaults, insurance policies and special “flight” taxes which Jews paid for the right to emigrate from Nazi Austria. It is estimated that these assets amount to many millions of dollars, far more than the Jewish claims committee is seeking in a lump sum settlement with the Austrian Government.