Rising Hopes of Austrian Nazis Invigorated with Hitler Victory

Rising hopes of the National Socialists in Austria for the early establishment of a Nazi government were invigorated with the Hitler victory in Germany and new demands for official discrimination against Jews are again being pressed both from public platform and press. A promise that the full program of anti-Semitism will soon be reintroduced in Austria on the lines of Dr. Luger’s doctrines was made by the leader of the Christian socialists of Vienna, Deputy Kunschak, who in line with the Nazis also reintroduced anti-Semitism as one of the main points of their program. “No Jew,” Deputy Kunschak declared, “will be employed in Government or municipal service and no Jewish firm will receive orders from Government departments. Vienna has now become the second largest Jewish city in the world after New York, and the process of turning Vienna over to the Jews is so far continuing unabated.” This inconceivable process must be brought to an end, he declared, indicating that full understanding has been reached between the Christian socialists and the Nazis on the Jewish question.

A sharp attack against the government has also been launched by the National Socialist press against the municipality of Vienna because the head of the Beth-Din of the Vienna Kehilla, Rabbi Joseph Babd, a famous talmudist, has been granted Austrian citizenship, while only residing in Austria for two years. The government has been attacked for recommending the naturalization of a Galician Jew, although the law demands that citizenship should be acquired not before ten years’ permanent residence.

The Nazi press announces that their deputies on the legislative bodies will raise this question from the parliamentary platform.