Jewish News from Austria #15

Dear Readers,

2007-01-05T23:27:08Z

December, 2006

It is a great pleasure for me to introduce myself to you. I have recently assumed the position of Christoph Meran, former Director of the Austrian Press & Information Service, who left at the end of September. Over the years I have been working in the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs dealing with Austrian-American and European-American relations. One of the most challenging and rewarding projects involved negotiating and implementing an agreement on the Austrian Reconciliation Fund, which disbursed payments to victims of forced labor under the NS regime. This agreement was concluded in close cooperation with the U.S. administration in 2000. For the last three years I was assigned to the Austrian Embassy in Moscow.

I look forward to continuing the tradition of this Newsletter and keeping you, dear readers of "Jewish News from Austria", informed about cultural, political and historical news covered by the Austrian media in the forthcoming years. I would therefore appreciate your feedback and suggestions, particularly in regard to its content.

We have tried to present a wide array of articles published in the Austrian media in the course of the last six months covering topics, such as the rebirth of the traditional Hakoah sports club, enlarged youth activities of the Israelite Jewish Community as well as the restitution of art expropriated during the NS era and international issues.

This year has been marked by the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Austria and Israel. On December 3, Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik opened a conference in Jerusalem marking this occasion and in the course of this visit met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Also this year, Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, along with other paintings from the Bloch-Bauer collection, were returned to Maria Altmann, the only surviving niece of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer’s brother. Representatives of both sides agreed to submit the case to an arbitration court in Austria. The court finally ruled that the conditions for restitution had been fulfilled based upon the 1998 Austrian federal law on restitution of art.

Research on establishing ownership (provenance) is ongoing. Austria’s National Fund has set up a unique database on art objects containing information on objects of art and of cultural value which are currently held in museums and collections by the Republic of Austria or the City of Vienna and which, according to most recent provenance research, may have been expropriated during the NS era.

Finally, we would like to introduce two new institutions, the Scholarship Foundation and the Future Fund that were created as successor organizations to the Austrian Reconciliation Fund, which concluded its work at the end of 2005. The Future Fund has been established to support research work and projects in remembrance of NS victims and to promote international humanitarian cooperation, respect for human rights and tolerance. Among the projects that have been fostered so far were publications, seminars and research work but also initiatives like the project "Flowers in Remembrance" which we presented in the last issue.

I wish you Happy Hanukkah!

Yours sincerely,

Wolfgang Renezeder
Director
Austrian Press and Information Service
www.austria.org

Hakoah Returns Home

2007-01-05T00:01:12Z

Die Gemeinde (The Community) Nr. 588 (07/2006) During a press conference on June 22, 2006 in the Vienna Community Center, the HAKOAH project was introduced for the first time to the public. This new sports center ushers in a new era of traditional clubs. For the first time since 1938 Hakoah will again have their own center for athletes and no longer have to be a “guest” at other gymnasiums and sports clubs. Designed by the architect, Thomas Feiger, a brand new sports club including three gyms, a fitness room, sauna and wellness area, tennis courts, weightlifting rooms, and a 25-meter indoor swimming pool with resting area will be built if the necessary funding can be raised.

Jewish Sports Club Hakoah Returns to Prater in Vienna

2007-01-04T23:57:47Z

Vienna – The return of the Jewish sports club Hakoah in Prater in Vienna is gradually moving forward. Under bright sunshine, the foundation stone was laid today, Monday, for the new sports facilities on the site which was confiscated in 1938 by the National Socialists. Moreover, the Israelite Religious Community’s (IKG) Zwi Perez Chajes School (ZVC) will be built on the land in the Leopoldstadt district. Almost seven million euros have been given by the Federal government and City of Vienna for building the sports center, the construction of which began some months ago. Still uncertain remains the financing of the indoor swimming pool. One is confident that the required 2.25 million euros needed could be raised with help of sponsors, said Paul Haber, President of the Jewish sports club Hakoah. This was also confirmed by the fundraiser and swimming star, Markus Rogan.

It’s All About JUKO (Commission of Youth), or Isn’t It?

2007-01-04T23:55:57Z

There Must Be a New Youth Organization

Die Gemeinde (The Community) Nr. 591 (10/2006) Die Gemeinde (The Community) speaks with the director, Rafel Schwarz. One year ago The Community introduced youth counselor, Maxim Slutski. Since then, what has changed? How does the future look? We have gotten the youth counselor in the religious community involved in putting more input into working with the young. We have five youth organizations working autonomously. They have more or less members, but at the same time the Israelite Religious Community (IKG) understands that apparently many young people from these organizations don’t feel spoken to. It’s this group for which more needs to be done. As head of JUKO one can do a lot and get things moving. As a working person, however, one is quite limited in terms of time. We have discovered that since we have a youth counselor, we were able to organize many more events and seminars (Leadership/Hadracha Seminars) and international events during the year. That would have been impossible without Maxim Slutski.

New Self-Awareness in Young Jews

2007-01-04T23:55:02Z

Der Standard (11/09/2006)
by Marijana Miljkovic

The life of Jewish young people has many facets. Whereas there are those who emphasize the religious, others are involved with culture

Vienna – Time begins with the beginning of the world. According to the Jewish calendar, this happened exactly 5,767 years ago. Thus, Judaism has also existed as long as this, says Rafael Schwarz, religious director of the Israelite Jewish Community and also director of the Commission for Youth in Vienna. The reason is that one always has held to tradition. He then offers an explanation, reminding us of one’s own history and past.

Somewhere Between Perpetrator and Victim

2007-01-04T23:54:00Z

Der Standard (06/08/2006)
by Andreas Feiertag

It is still unclear whether there will be a Simon Wiesenthal Institute. The debate on the importance of Holocaust research is revealed by the sheer number of ongoing symposia having that as its theme. At the center of the debate: Wiesenthal’s memorandum of 1966 - Austria’s responsibility for the Shoa. Vienna – More perpetrators or more victims? Research dealing with contemporary Austrian history has so often focused solely on quantifying NS crimes and criminals until the wealth of data has ended up constructing diametrical truths. These data, depending on ideology, are now being used as instruments for political goals.

Vienna Names Street in Leopoldstadt After Simon Wiesenthal

2007-01-04T23:52:50Z

Austrian Press Agency (APA)(10/02/2006)

Decision to be taken tomorrow, Tuesday, by the City Council’s Cultural Committee

Vienna – Tomorrow, Tuesday, a decision will be made as to naming a street after Simon Wiesenthal who died last year. As wished by the Israelite Religious Community (IKG), the current Ichmanngasse in Leopoldstadt will be called Simon-Wiesenthal-Gasse in the future. The decision will be made by the City Council’s Cultural Committee. The date for celebrating the inauguration has not been determined.

There was unanimous recommendation by the subcommittee for the renaming of the street in the 2nd district, announced the office of the City Councillor for Culture, Andreas Mailath-Pokorny. It’s located where a new Jewish center for sports and education is being developed on the restituted area of a sports field, the “Hakoah.” Right next to it will be a home for the aged.

“Together with the Israelite Religious Community, we are happy to have found such a good solution,” said Mailath-Pokorny’s spokesman. Currently the street bears the name of Franz Ichmann, a Viennese writer of song lyrics who, according to the IKG, was a member of the National Socialist Party.

The wish for a Wiesenthal park to be created behind the Alfred Hrdlicka “Memorial Opposing War and Faschism” on Albertinaplatz was turned down by the subcommittee. The reason, among others, is because Wiesenthal, who dedicated his life to pursuing Nazi criminals, decried having it created and instead lobbied for the Rachel Whiteread memorial on Judenplatz.

The proposal to have a street renamed in commemoration of Wiesenthal was initiated by the Greens only a few days after his death on September 20, 2005. Due to a deadline provided by law (Interkalarfrist), the renaming of something can only take place at the earliest one year after the death of the person concerned. When exactly the new commemorative plaque will be erected has, according to the City Council, not yet been determined.

Twenty-Five Years of Working Toward Reconciliation

2007-01-04T23:51:11Z

Der Standard (04/04/2006)

Jewish Welcome Service celebrates its anniversary. Heinz Fischer congratulates.

Vienna – “It’s everything that I wanted, and it turned out well,” said a visibly moved Leon Zelman Sunday evening while taking stock of the twenty-five years of the Jewish Welcome Service (JWS).

At the ceremony on the anniversary of the organization in a well-attended event in Vienna’s City Hall, Zelman claimed that it was the “moral responsibility” that served as the motor propelling his commitment. It was the duty to point out to people that the persecution of the Jews didn’t begin with the concentration camps but much earlier. And Zelman, who, himself, was haunted by NS terror and survived numerous extermination camps, is proud of his achievements.

Twenty-five years of JWS included the project, “Welcome to Vienna,” which invited some 4,000 Austrians expelled from Austria during National Socialism back to Vienna. Moreover, the JWS continues to organize exchange programs for young people between Israel, the USA and Austria, and is involved in a number of other special projects.

Federal President Heinz Fischer thanked Zelman for his life’s work: Through his dedication, he has helped the victims to close in peace with a country that has treated them so badly. Zelman’s commitment helped pave the way toward reconciliation, stressing “that we must take care of those who survived.”

“An Embarrassment”
Fischer then added, emphasizing that it is “an embarrassment” that it took so long when coming to terms with the past and asking for forgiveness. The Federal President held Austria’s politics in the past as responsible for the “simplified black and white version” after the war. Zelman and the JWS contributed considerably over the past twenty-five years to “really getting to the bottom of the problem.”

Vienna’s Deputy-Mayor Sepp Rieder also thanked Zelman for JWS’s “success story.” Through his commitment, Zelman emphasized taking historical responsibility and contributed greatly to reconciliation.

“Feeling of Solidarity with Israel”

2007-01-04T23:48:32Z

Die Presse (04/12/2006)

Never were relations between Austria and Israel so good as at the moment. Plassnik’s trip to Tzip Livni is the visit to a “friend.”

Jerusalem – They characterize each other as “friends,” telephone regularly and have met now and then outside the realms of protocol. The relationship between Jerusalem and Vienna was probably never so good as now.

As expected, the reception was cordial while Israel’s Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was preparing the way for her counterpart from Austria. Israel’s journalists presented Ursula Plassnik as a leader who made efforts toward justice, clarity and depth. Thus, the tone was set for a bilateral highpoint and for the real occasion of the visit – the opening of a symposium at Hebrew University honoring fifty years of diplomatic relations between Austria and Israel.

Plassnik didn’t fail to conceal that they had no simple history: “We recognize the difficulties of the legacy of our past,” emphasized Plassnik. That made the “deep feeling of solidarity” which Austria and Israel enjoy today all the more joyous, especially for someone like her who was born after the Shoa.

Austria, who thought of itself as being Hitler’s first victim, refused for a long time to assume responsibility for Nazi crimes. Only during the course of the Waldheim affair did this illusion become apparent and with Israel at the time also recalling its ambassador in Vienna at the beginning of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) coalition government. The open questions regarding restitution were solved only after 2001.

Israel: Cordial Reception for Plassnik

2007-01-04T23:46:32Z

Die Presse (03/12/2006)

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni greeted her counterpart, Ursula Plassnik, as “friend“ in Jerusalem. Both are committed to peace.

Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik (Austrian People’s Party) was cordially received by her Israeli counterpart, Tzip Livni, in Jerusalem. Livni greeted Plassnik on Sunday as a “friend.” She emphasized the mutual meeting held the previous afternoon which opened the symposium on fifty years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Livni said at a mutual press conference that the first time she had met Plassnik was when Austria held the EU Presidency. “I discovered a leader in Plassnik who found a way to be just and clear and was capable of going into depth when confronted with a very complex situation, particularly in the Middle East. I would like to thank you for that.”

Plassnik replied in similar fashion: “I have come to meet a friend in the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, and the Foreign Minister.” Plassnik emphasized that the relationship between the two countries has become very close and that common efforts are being made in the search for peace. It is important to be concerned and committed to not being indifferent. “I have come to the Middle at a time when hope is urgently needed.”

Israel Places Three Conditions Upon Hamas
These are very delicate times regarding Israel, Palestinian autonomy and Lebanon,” said Livni. It is not a question of interests or of playing a “zero sum game;” it concerns strengthening forces that are moderate when faced with extremists. One can find the moderates in all three countries – in Israel, in the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon.

When asked a question by one of the journalists, Livni replied that the Israeli government is not interested in a stillstand. But Hamas must accept three conditions (the recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence and acceptance of the agreements) if they hope to help the Palestinian people. Moreover, there is the plan drafted by Ehud Olmert, “political horizon,” which could ease the situation of the Palestinians and could give them hope. “It is the task of President Mahmoud Abbas presiding over the agency for autonomy but also over the international community, to send a strong message to the terrorists and the extremists while at the same time also strengthening the moderates.”

As to the situation of the ceasefire with the Palestinians, the Israeli Minister said that she wants to talk about it in Parliament and that it is a “delicate time.” “It is important that Israel proceeds with reason because compared to conditions before the ceasefire, times have changed.”