Austrian Chancellor Invites Refugee Jews to Return; Pledges Restitution of Property

An indirect appeal to Austrian Jews to return to this country was made today by Chancellor Leopold Figl.

“On the question of the return of formerly emigrated Jews, I can only repeat that I naturally welcome it and will be happy if good Austrians take it upon themselves to come back to the heavily burdened fatherland and take a positive, active part in the difficult reconstruction of Austria,” he told a correspondent of the Overseas News Agency. “The best proof of Austria’s attitude on the Jewish question obviously is that the Jews who fled to Austria from a number of European states and resided here as displaced persons now seek to obtain Austrian citizenship,” the Chancellor asserted.

Chancellor Figl sharply contradicted reports current abroad, which also figured in the most recent meeting of the Vienna Jewish Council, that Austria is still anti-Semitic and that the Austrian Government had been slow and hesitant in undertaking the restitution of property which the Nazis stole from the Jews. The Chancellor stated specifically:

“Such rumors and statements are inspired by political circles which seek to discredit Austria abroad. The political men behind the scenes of such demonstrations do no service to the just claims of Austrian Jews to restitution. The policy of the Austrian Government demonstrates that we reject and combat not only Nazism but also anti-Semitism as one of its roots. I will constantly support all efforts to combat the remnant of anti-Semitism and obviously will also back the efforts of the Jewish community in this direction.”

(According to figures recently issued by the Jewish Community Council, only 35 Jewish-owned homes have been returned of the 1,000 for which application has been made. There were 65,000 Jewish-owned homes and apartments in Vienna before the Anschluss.)

On the other hand, the Chancellor asked the Jews of Austria not to hold the present Austrian democratic government responsible for their sufferings under the Nazi regime. He added that they should not consider themselves strangers in Austria but should collaborate as good Austrians in the reconstruction of the common fatherland. He promised that he and the government would create the necessary conditions for such participation.

Laws which have already been issued and the newly drafted restitution acts which were prepared in consultation with Jewish leaders, he said, will meet the demands for restitution of stolen property, within the means of the Austrian state and the limitations of the government’s authority. (The Jewish Community has been highly critical of the restitution laws, which, it says, do not meet Jewish demands.)

Finally, Chancellor Figl stated: “I am clearly determined to support the Austrian Jewish claims for restitution for material damages suffered under the Hitler regime in Austria.”