Austrian Holocaust survivors to receive €5,000 in dramatic agreement

By ZVIKA KLEIN

NOVEMBER 1, 2023 13:57

Updated: NOVEMBER 1, 2023 14:34

People participate in a commemoration of the liberation of the former concentration camp KZ Mauthausen, at the memorial site in Mauthausen, Austria, May 7, 2023 (photo credit: REUTERS/LEONHARD FOEGER) — People participate in a commemoration of the liberation of the former concentration camp KZ Mauthausen, at the memorial site in Mauthausen, Austria, May 7, 2023

(photo credit: REUTERS/LEONHARD FOEGER)

The National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism will administer these payments.

Austrian Holocaust survivors worldwide will receive a one-time payment of around €5,000 following negotiations between the Claims Conference and the Austrian Finance Ministry, according to a statement on Wednesday.

The Committee for Jewish Claims has secured approximately €12.5 million in direct payments for Austrian Jewish Holocaust survivors in 2023. This marks the first time in over two decades that the Austrian government has agreed to provide additional compensation to every living Austrian Holocaust survivor.

In addition to the initial payment, according to the statement, survivors in special need will receive a second payment in 2023, with ongoing support planned for subsequent years. The National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism will administer these payments.

Following World War II, the Nazis killed 65,000 Jews in Austria, leaving approximately 2,500 Jewish survivors of Austrian origin worldwide. Most survivors reside in the United States and Israel, with smaller populations in Great Britain, Australia, Canada, South America, and Western European countries.

The Austrian Holocaust Survivors Emergency Assistance Program (AHSEAP) said it would double its funding to €3 million for 2024 as a result of these negotiations. This program offers financial assistance to Austrian Holocaust survivors for medical needs, eviction prevention, and other urgent issues.

Additionally, according to the statement, the Austrian government will collaborate with the Claims Conference to develop and fund Holocaust education projects nationally and internationally. The conference remains committed to supporting elderly survivors, especially those in poverty, as their numbers diminish.

In the statement, Claims Conference Executive Vice President Greg Schneider emphasized the importance of these payments for vulnerable survivors. Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, Special Negotiator for the Claims Conference, highlighted the symbolic significance of the Austrian government's recognition and accountability for the survivors' suffering.