Jews in Hungary who own property in Austria are being requested by the Hungarian authorities to turn this property over to the state by sending a power of attorney to Communist lawyers in Vienna with instructions to sell the property for the benefit of Hungary.
A report reaching here from Budapest said that while some Jews have agreed to the extortion, one Jew there who was preparing for emigration to Israel refused to comply with the request stating that the property in Vienna is all that was left to him to start a new life in Israel. He was arrested and charged with violating the Hungarian foreign exchange regulations. His fate remains unknown, the report says.
The Austrian Government is refusing to recognize deals under which Communist lawyers in Vienna acquire the property of Hungarian citizens. However, when some cases were taken to court, the ruling was that the property must be surrendered unless duress could be proved. The Austrian government is fighting the decision.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
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.
