Heavy rains fell here today as the remains of Dr. Theodor Herzl, founder of political Zionism, and his parents, were exhumed from Doebling Cemetery outside this city and were transferred to the Vienna Synagogue, preparatory to their removal to Israel in accordance with Dr. Herzl’s last wishes.
Some 200 leading members of the Vienna Jewish community witnessed the exhumation. Dr. Kurt Lewin, Israel’s representative in Austria, also attended the burial grounds ceremonies. Austrian police, who guarded the 45-year-old grave of Dr. Herzl during the past week, transported the coffins to Vienna on motorcycles.
The Israeli delegation–including Minister of Communications David Remez, Itzhak Gruenbaum and ten Israeli soldiers–did not arrive in time to participate in the transfer ceremony. A report from Italy said the delegation’s plane was held up by ground fog outside Rome. Members of the Jewish community here are scheduled to pay their last respects to Dr. Herzl this afternoon, after which a religious service will be conducted.
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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.
