Jewish News from Austria

The restoration and care of the 63 Jewish cemeteries in Austria has been ensured for a period of 20 years by making available a total of 40 million euro. On 21 December 2009 the federal government, the Länder (notably Vienna and Lower Austria), various municipalities as well as the Jewish Religious Community (IKG) reached an agreement in a meeting at the Federal Chancellery. A fund for the restoration of the
cemeteries will be established, to which the Federal Republic will allocate 20 million euro (i.e. one million euro annually). The remaining difference of 20 million euro will be granted by the Länder, municipalities and Jewish communities.

In addition, Lower Austria will cover 25% of the costs arising on its territory, the Burgenland considers a similar approach. The City of Vienna will provide the funds for the restoration of the “Kornhäusl“ (a building named after architect Josef Kornhäusl) at the Währing Cemetery (costs: 500,000 euro). Chancellor Faymann described the agreement on the restoration of the Jewish cemeteries, brokered
by him, as a “matter of responsibility, of “respect for history”, for fellow Jewish citizens and for the cultural-historical heritage of this country.

The IKG referred to a “late Chanukah gift“. The “last open claim under international law” was finally being settled”, informed the IKG. Austria had committed itself to the preservation of the graveyards under the 2001 Washington Agreement, but all efforts had failed. The Jewish graves are in a bad condition, especially in eastern Austria. This is mainly due to the fact that after the Holocaust there almost no descendants. Based on the Jewish religion, Jewish graves are not removed and exist forever.