The complete exclusion of Jews from the medical profession of Austria is believed the underlying motive of secret orders from Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss’ office to the Ministry of Social Welfare. These orders were brought to light today when the press revealed that the racial principle has been introduced in Viennese state hospitals, resulting in the exclusion of Jewish doctors.
Many Jewish doctors have confirmed the story, telling the Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent that discrimination against Jews has been practiced here for the last four months. They stated that even Jewish doctors desiring to do volunteer work in hospitals here to gain practice have been rejected, since the appointment of doctors to all hospitals came under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Welfare.
This office has even rejected recommendations for appointments of Jews from directors of various hospitals. In many cases Jewish doctors had been waiting for a vacancy for some time, under the assurance that when their turn came and they were at the head of the list they would be appointed, but the Ministry of Social Welfare has skipped their names in favor of non-Jews.
Medical organizations here are convinced that the social welfare ministry is acting under orders from the chancellor’s office aiming at exclusion of Jews from medical work altogether, since doctors are not permitted to do medical work in Austria unless they have done hospital work for one year.
No new Jewish doctor therefore will be able to qualify for practice in Austria, unless conditions change. Representations to the government so far have proved fruitless.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
