Chancellor Leopold Figl was today urged to return to the Vienna Jewish community all property confiscated from it by the Nazis during an interview with Joseph Silber, Joint Distribution Committee director in Austria.
Silber also suggested that other property formerly owned by Jews, particularly apartments belonging to Jews now living in Austrian camps and barracks because they are homeless, be returned to them. Finally, he asked for the government’s assistance in the repatriation of refugees from Shanghai.
Chancellor Figl agreed in principle to the suggestions and promised to do his best to expedite their implementation. He insisted that as far as he was concerned there was no distinction between Jews and non-Jews since all were Austrians.
Pointing out that Jews will become first rate Austrian citizens if they receive their full political and economic rights, Silber declared that if the government does its part in this matter, the Jews will do theirs.
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