Austrian-West German talks on restitution to Nazi victims from Austria, which include West Germany’s projected contribution to an Austrian fund for that purpose, will be held in May or June, it was learned here today. At a later stage. Dr. Nahum Goldmann was scheduled to join the talks on behalf of the World Association of Austrian Jews.
Austria has refused for many years to pay compensation for property taken from the country during the Nazi period, claiming that it had been an invaded country and that West Germany should therefore pay. The West German response has been that it was the Austrians who benefited and who still benefit from the plunder of Jewish property during the Nazi era.
The West Germans also have argued that nazism was actually an Austrian “export,” since many Nazi leaders, from Hitler to Adolf Eichmann, were of Austrian origin. West Germany finally agreed in principle to participate in funding Austrian restitution. The size of the West German contribution will be one of the subjects of the talks.
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