New Austrian national antisemitism strategy presented to ministers, EU officials
Measures will triple budget for security of Jewish institutions and coordination platform for nationwide govt coordination to combat antisemitism.
By JEREMY SHARONPeople take pictures of a light symbol, marking the place where Viennese synagogues once stood before they were destroyed, after a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, also known as Night of Broken Glass, in front of a then destroyed Synagogue in Vienna, Austria November 8, 2018.(photo credit: REUTERS)
A new national strategy for combating antisemitism in Austria to bolster the security and safety of the country’s Jewish community was presented to Austrian ministers and officials on Thursday morning.The new initiative will see the creation of a coordinating staff unit in the federal chancellery to tackle antisemitism and its consequences, a tripling of investments in the protection of Jewish institutions, and possible legislative amendments.The national strategy was presented to the Federal Minister of European Affairs and national coordinator on combating antisemitism Karoline Edtstadler, as well as the European Commission’s coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, Katharina von Schnurbein.“Even though it is impossible to undo the atrocities of the past, the Austrian government is trying to fulfill its historical responsibility and will do anything it takes in order to protect Jewish life and culture,” reads the new strategy document. “For that reason, it is of utmost priority for the Austrian government to take further measures in order to guarantee security and safety for Jewish citizens and classify combating all forms of antisemitism an important pillar of its work.”Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Communities of Austria, said that the new strategy “makes explicit that the fight against antisemitism is not primarily the task of the Jewish community, but of the entire nation,” and that the Austrian government is serious in its efforts to combat the problem.Deutsch noted that in 2019 there were 550 antisemitic attacks in the country, including a rabbi who was threatened with a knife, Jewish children verbally assaulted on a bus, and the daubing of swastikas on synagogues.Under the plan, some €4 million will be provided annually for the protection of Jewish institutions and the promotion of Jewish life.The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research will establish a center for research on antisemitism with the Austrian Academy of Sciences, while a coordination platform will be created to enable cooperation between the federal government, federal provinces, municipalities, corporations, civil society institutions and NGOs, as well as sports and youth organizations and other institutions, on combating antisemitism.Legislation pertaining to Austria’s denazification and Holocaust denial law of 1947 as well as on hate symbols will be evaluated, and if necessary, amended.
