How Austria Became A Jewish Safe Haven

The history of Jews in Austria is a long and complex one, dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. Over the centuries, the Jewish community in the country has experienced both prosperity and persecution, with their political status rising and falling numerous times. In this introduction, we will explore the factors that allowed for many Jews to live in Austria and the impact they had on the country.

The first Jews are believed to have arrived in what is now Austria following the Roman occupation of Israel, with the earliest surviving evidence of their presence being a third-century amulet discovered in Halbturn. During the Middle Ages, the Jewish community in Austria faced persecution and massacres, with a significant event being the arrest of all Austrian Jews in 1420, which led to the burning of 270 Jews at the stake and the expulsion of the rest. However, in the following centuries, there were also periods of relative tolerance and prosperity for the Jewish community.

The Jewish community in Austria flourished particularly during the Enlightenment era, when the Edict of Tolerance granted civil rights to Jews in 1782. This was followed by the Jewish Act of 1890, which established a legal basis for the relationship between religious associations and the state. As a result, the Jewish community grew rapidly, and by the early 20th century, they comprised about 10% of Vienna's total population. During this time, many Austrian Jews made significant contributions to the country's economic and cultural life, with prominent figures including Sigmund Freud, Theodor Herzl, and Arthur Schnitzler.

However, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938 marked a dark period for the Jewish community. Thousands of Jews were arrested, their properties expropriated, and synagogues destroyed. While many managed to flee the country, those who remained were subjected to the horrors of Nazi terror, with an estimated 65,000-70,000 Austrian Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

In conclusion, the Jewish community in Austria has had a long and tumultuous history, with their presence in the country shaped by various social, political, and economic factors. Despite periods of persecution and expulsion, the Jewish community persevered and played a significant role in shaping the cultural, intellectual, and economic landscape of Austria.

The Jewish population in Austria dates back to the Roman Empire

During the first millennium CE, there is fragmentary documentation of a Jewish presence in Austria, including the “Raffelstettener Zollordnung,” a listing of customs and tax rules from 906–908 CE that recorded the presence of Jews in Austria during the 10th century. A document from the 10th century determining equal rights between Jewish and Christian merchants in the Danube also implies a Jewish population in Vienna at this time.

The existence of a Jewish community in Austria is known for certain after the start of the 12th century, when two synagogues were established. In the same century, the Jewish settlement in Vienna grew with the arrival of Jewish settlers from Bavaria and the Rhineland. At the start of the 13th century, the Jewish community in Austria began to flourish, with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II declaring Jews to be a separate ethnic and religious group, and granting them a bill of rights.

Over the centuries, the political status of the Jewish community in Austria rose and fell, with periods of prosperity and equality interspersed with eras of pogroms, deportations, and antisemitism. The Holocaust drastically reduced the Jewish community in Austria, with only 8,140 Jews remaining according to the 2001 census. Today, the Jewish community in Austria continues to rebuild, with a population of around 10,300–15,000.

The Jewish community in Austria was granted religious autonomy in 1890

The Jewish community in Austria has a long history, dating back to the times of the Roman Empire. Over the centuries, the political status of Jews in Austria rose and fell many times, with periods of prosperity and equality, as well as eras of pogroms, deportations, and antisemitism.

In 1890, the Jewish community in Austria was granted religious autonomy through the Jewish Act of 1890, also known as the Jewish Act. This legislation established a legal framework for the relationship between religious associations and the state, and it played a crucial role in the growth and development of the Jewish community in Austria.

The Jewish Act of 1890 provided a basis for the recognition and protection of Jewish religious practices and institutions. It contributed to the establishment and growth of Jewish communities, synagogues, schools, and cultural associations. This period also saw the election of several Jews to the Austrian Reichsrat, further solidifying the presence and influence of the Jewish community in Austrian society.

The enactment of the Jewish Act of 1890 was a significant milestone in the history of Jewish-Austrian relations. It represented a shift towards greater religious tolerance and recognition of the rights of Jewish citizens. This period of relative stability and prosperity for Austrian Jews continued into the early 20th century, with Emperor Franz Joseph I granting equal rights to Jews and promoting their integration into Austrian society.

However, this period of prosperity was abruptly cut short by the rise of Nazism and the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, known as the "Anschluss." The Jewish community in Austria suffered immense persecution, violence, and deportation during this time, with the majority of synagogues destroyed and thousands of Jews arrested and sent to concentration camps. Despite these challenges, the Jewish community in Austria has persevered and continues to be a vital part of the country's cultural fabric.

Jews comprised 10% of Vienna's population in the early 1930s

The history of Jews in Austria goes back to the 3rd century CE, and in Vienna, there is evidence of a Jewish presence from the 12th century onwards. The status of Austrian Jews has fluctuated over the centuries, from periods of equality and prosperity to eras of pogroms, deportations, and antisemitism.

In the early 1930s, Jewish life in Austria was thriving, particularly in Vienna, which was a centre of Jewish culture, Zionism, and education. Jews comprised 10% of Vienna's population at this time, with around 170,000 Jews living in the city. Including those of mixed Jewish-Christian background and converts from Judaism, the Viennese Jewish population may have been as high as 200,000.

Vienna's Jews were well-integrated into urban society and culture, and they made up significant percentages of the city's doctors, lawyers, businessmen, bankers, artists, and journalists. The Jewish community was also prominent in Zionist thought, with Theodor Herzl, the father of Zionism, having studied at the University of Vienna.

However, this prosperous period for Austrian Jews was soon to come to an end. In March 1938, Nazi Germany incorporated Austria into the Third Reich in what became known as the Anschluss. Once in power, the Nazis quickly applied anti-Jewish legislation, excluding Jews from economic, cultural, and social life. Jewish-owned businesses were closed or confiscated, and Jews were subjected to persecution and violence. The November 1938 Kristallnacht pogrom was particularly brutal in Vienna, with most of the city's synagogues and Jewish businesses destroyed.

By the end of 1941, 130,000 Jews had left Vienna, with 30,000 emigrating to the US. Those who remained in Austria endured the full horrors of the Holocaust, with thousands deported to concentration camps and ghettos in Eastern Europe. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 65,500 Austrian Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, with 62,000 known by name.

Today, the Jewish community in Austria is small but dynamic, with a population of around 10,300 as of 2020. Most of these Jews live in Vienna, which remains a centre of Jewish life and culture.

Many Austrian Jews fled the country after the German annexation in 1938

The German annexation of Austria in 1938 was a terrifying time for Austrian Jews. The Nazis' anti-Jewish legislation, expropriation of property, and violent intimidation and attacks on Jewish people caused many Austrian Jews to flee the country.

Before the German annexation, Jews played a significant role in Austria's economic and cultural life. In 1938, there were about 192,000 Jews in Austria, comprising almost 4% of the total population. The vast majority of Austrian Jews lived in Vienna, the capital, where they made up around 9% of the population. Vienna was an important centre of Jewish culture, Zionism, and education.

However, after the German annexation, the situation changed drastically. The Nazis extended their anti-Jewish legislation to Austria, and Jewish people were subjected to persecution, violence, and intimidation. The Mauthausen concentration camp, established in the summer of 1938, became the main Nazi camp in Austria, and thousands of prisoners were worked to death there.

The Kristallnacht pogroms in November 1938 were particularly brutal in Austria. Most synagogues in Vienna were destroyed, Jewish businesses were vandalised and ransacked, and thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps. The violence and threat of deportation caused a wave of emigration, with 117,000 Jews leaving Austria between 1938 and 1940. By December 1939, the Jewish population in Austria had decreased to 57,000, primarily due to emigration.

The process of emigrating was difficult and expensive. Those lucky enough to escape had to pay special taxes for visas, passports, and health certificates. They also had to leave most of their belongings behind, as they were only allowed to take clothes and household items. Despite these challenges, many Austrian Jews chose to flee the country rather than endure the horrors of Nazi persecution and the Holocaust.

Between 65,000 and 70,000 Austrian Jews were murdered in the Holocaust

The Holocaust drastically reduced the Jewish community in Austria, and only 8,140 Jews remained in the country according to the 2001 census. Today, Austria has a Jewish population of 10,300, and a total of 33,000 when including Austrians with at least one Jewish grandparent.

The persecution of Jews in Austria was immediate and violent following the German annexation of the country in 1938, known as the Anschluss. German racial laws were enacted, under which Jews were disenfranchised and forbidden from using public transport. Many regular Austrians joined the Nazis in terrorising Jews, forcing them to wash sidewalks and public toilets, and eat grass in public parks.

In November 1938, during the Kristallnacht pogroms, most of the synagogues in Vienna were destroyed, and Jewish businesses were vandalised and ransacked. Thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps.

In October 1939, the deportation of Austrian Jews to Poland began, and by November 1942, only about 7,000 Jews remained in the country. The deportation of Jews to death camps began in February 1941 and continued until March 1945.

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