The Austrian Parliament has all but passed a law which will in effect end the program of prosecuting and punishing Nazi war criminals, Dr. F. R. Bienenfeld, head of the World Jewish Congress legal department, reported here today after returning from Vienna where he consulted with Austrian Ministers on restitution and compensation matters.
Dr. Bienenfeld said that a law to end “People’s Courts” has passed the committee stage and is likely to become law before the end of the year. The new law replaces the five-member courts with juries, which have proved reluctant to punish former Nazis. The People’s Courts contain two judges and three laymen. Dr. Bienenfeld said that it is likely that the public prosecutors will even refrain from presenting such cases to juries.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
