Leslie Massey
Antisemitism in Austria has a long history, with the Jewish community's political status rising and falling over the centuries. In the 1880s and 1890s, the Liberal Party was the common adversary of all Semites, especially in Vienna. During this time, the Christian Social Party, led by Mayor of Vienna Karl Lueger, was strongly influenced by Catholic antisemitism, which attributed the secularization and modernization of society to Jewish influence. Lueger's brand of antisemitism was economically, religiously, and culturally motivated, and he sought to unite all Christians and nationalities of the monarchy against the common Jewish enemy. This opportunistic antisemitism was reflected in the statement, Lueger will live, and the Jews will croak. After a period of relative tolerance, the real terror for most of the Jewish population began on March 12, 1938, when German troops entered Austria, receiving the enthusiastic support of most Austrians. This was followed by the rapid expropriation of Jewish property, extreme intimidation, and violence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Jews were blamed for the defeat of the German Empire in the First World War | |
| Jews were scapegoated for economic problems | |
| Jews were not allowed to vote in the plebiscite | |
| Nazi propaganda was present in Austria before German annexation | |
| Austrian politicians made anti-Semitic statements in the late 1940s | |
| Austrian Jews were deported to ghettos and concentration camps | |
| Jewish emigration increased dramatically in response to German annexation and Kristallnacht | |
| Jews were subject to violence and intimidation | |
| Jews were expropriated of their property | |
| Jews were blamed for shortages of housing | |
| Jews were accused of not fighting in the war | |
| Jews were not permitted to join the civil service | |
| Shops owned by Jews were boycotted | |
| Books by Jewish authors were burned | |
| Jews were forced to attend general elementary schools | |
| Jews were only allowed to practice certain professions | |
| Jews could only live in predetermined locations |
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What You'll Learn
Religious fanaticism and intolerance
The history of Jews in Austria has been marked by both relative tolerance and prosperity, as well as periods of intense persecution, discrimination, and violence. While Jewish life in Austria dates back to the times of the Roman Empire, the community has faced numerous challenges over the centuries, including pogroms, deportations, and antisemitism.
One notable period of religious fanaticism and intolerance towards Austrian Jews occurred during the medieval era. In the 14th century, a fixed Jewish tax was imposed, followed by persecution and massacres. In 1420, all Austrian Jews were arrested, with 270 burned at the stake, while the rest were expelled and their property confiscated. The Vienna Gesera in 1421 marked a violent end to the Jewish community in the Middle Ages. Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian I banished Jews from the cities of Styria and Carinthia in 1496.
The Enlightenment era brought some relief, with the Edict of Tolerance in 1782 granting civil rights to Jews. However, progress was sporadic, and it wasn't until 1867 that Jews were officially recognized as equal citizens. During the reign of Franz Joseph I, a period of relative tolerance was reached, and the Jewish community thrived, contributing significantly to Austrian culture, economics, and politics.
However, this progress was short-lived. The early 20th century saw a rise in antisemitism and the spread of Nazi ideology, culminating in the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. This era witnessed the expropriation of Jewish property, intimidation, and violence, and the deportation of thousands of Jews to concentration camps. The Kristallnacht pogroms in November 1938 resulted in the destruction of synagogues and Jewish businesses, with thousands arrested and sent to camps. Between 1938 and 1940, approximately 117,000 Jews fled Austria, and by 1942, only about 7,000 remained. Approximately 65,000 Austrian Jews were killed during the Holocaust.
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Anti-Jewish legislation
Anti-Jewish sentiment in Austria has a long history, with the political status of Jews fluctuating over the centuries. During the rule of Leopold, the Jewish population was treated harshly, although he did employ a Jewish economic advisor, Samson Wertheimer. After this period of religious fanaticism, a time of relative tolerance began under Maria Theresa, although she is known to have despised Jews. Her son, Joseph II, continued her work on integrating Jews into Austrian society, making military service and governmental schools mandatory for Jews. Joseph II also removed restrictions on where Jews could live and the professions they could enter.
In the 1880s and 1890s, the common adversary of all Semites in Austria, especially in Vienna, was the Liberal Party. The appointment of Karl Lueger as Mayor of Vienna in 1897 marked the beginning of a "new if all-too brief Golden Age". Lueger's political party, the Christian Social Party, was strongly influenced by Catholic anti-Semitism, which attributed the secularisation and modernisation of society to Jewish influence. Lueger himself wanted to unite all Christians and nationalities of the monarchy against the common Jewish enemy. However, his anti-Semitism was more opportunistic and not racially motivated, instead stemming from economic, religious, and cultural factors.
In the early 20th century, the political and economic crisis of the post-war years led to violent demonstrations and rallies, with Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe being blamed for the housing shortage and Jewish citizens being accused of not fighting in the war. An international anti-Semitic congress in Austria was attended by 40,000 people, and universities were prone to anti-Semitic violence, with classes taught by Jewish professors frequently interrupted by student fraternities.
Following the Anschluss, the German annexation of Austria in 1938, the Nazis quickly extended anti-Jewish legislation to the country. This included the expropriation of Jewish property, extreme intimidation, and violence towards Jewish people. The November 1938 Kristallnacht ("Night of Broken Glass") pogroms were particularly brutal in Austria, with most synagogues in Vienna destroyed and Jewish businesses vandalised and ransacked. As a result, thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps, and Jewish emigration increased dramatically. By 1942, only about 7,000 Jews remained in Austria, and the Holocaust drastically reduced the Jewish community in the country.
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Pogroms and deportations
In the early post-World War I years, a series of sometimes violent demonstrations and rallies were held, blaming Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe for the housing shortage and Jewish citizens for not fighting in the war. In the 1920s and early 1930s, the defeated country was still in a major economic crisis. According to the Nazis, expelling the Jews was the solution to the problems in Germany. In 1938, Austria had a Jewish population of about 192,000, representing almost 4% of the total population. However, by December 1939, their number had been reduced to 57,000, primarily due to emigration.
On November 9 and 10, 1938, the Kristallnacht ("Night of Broken Glass") pogroms were particularly brutal in Austria. Most of the synagogues in Vienna were destroyed, burned in full view of fire departments and the public. Jewish businesses were also vandalized and ransacked. Thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to the Dachau or Buchenwald concentration camps. Between 1938 and 1940, 117,000 Jews left Austria. About 35,000 Jews were deported from Vienna to ghettos in eastern Europe, mostly to Minsk, Riga, and Łódź, and to ghettos in the Lublin region of Poland. Most Jews sent to Minsk and Riga were shot by detachments of the Einsatzgruppen shortly after arrival. Over 15,000 Viennese Jews were deported to Theresienstadt.
By November 1942, only about 7,000 Jews remained in Austria, mostly those married to non-Jews. The Holocaust drastically reduced the Jewish community in Austria, and only 8,140 Jews remained according to the 2001 census.
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Economic and cultural motivations
Austrian Jews played a significant role in the country's economic and cultural life before World War II. In 1938, Austria was home to approximately 190,000 Jews, comprising nearly 4% of the total population. However, the Jewish community in Austria has historically experienced periods of prosperity and equality, as well as phases of intense persecution, including pogroms, deportations, and mass murder.
Economic motivations were a significant factor in Austrian anti-Semitism. Jews in Vienna were notably successful in various economic sectors, particularly in textiles, pharmacy, the arts, and academia. In the 1930s, they owned 80% of knitted-wear manufacturers and 60% of rayon knitted-wear manufacturers. This success bred resentment among some Austrians, who blamed Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe for the housing shortage and accused Jewish citizens of not fighting in World War I. The economic crisis of the early post-war years fueled violent demonstrations and rallies, with Jews being scapegoated for the country's economic woes.
The political landscape also contributed to anti-Semitic sentiments. Lueger, the Mayor of Vienna in 1897, embodied a brand of religious, cultural, and economic anti-Semitism that resonated with Viennese traditions. He sought to unite Christians and all nationalities of the monarchy against the perceived common Jewish enemy. Lueger's political party, the Christian Social Party, propagated the notion that secularization and modernization, which were unwelcome changes to some, were a result of Jewish influence. Capitalism was branded as a "Jewish invention" by Baron Karl von Vogelsang, who advocated for a return to the medieval Christian economic order.
Cultural factors also played a role in Austrian anti-Semitism. Austro-Hungarian liberals defined 'Jewishness' as a religious identity and expected Jews to assimilate into other aspects of Austrian life. This process of assimilation was more complex in regions outside of Hungary, as "Austria" lacked a defined national identity at the time, possessing only a political identity. Despite their small percentage of the population, Austrian Jews made significant cultural contributions through their involvement in law, journalism, literature, theatre, poetry, medicine, banking, business, and art.
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Political dictatorship
Austria has a long history of anti-Semitism, which has often been intertwined with political dictatorship. Before World War II, Jews played a significant role in Austria's economic and cultural life, with many thriving in the professions, arts, and sciences. However, the country's Jewish population suffered greatly during the Holocaust, with only 8,140 Jews remaining in Austria by 2001.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, anti-Semitism was a significant force in Austrian politics. The Christian Social Party, led by Vienna's Mayor Karl Lueger, was strongly influenced by Catholic anti-Semitism, which blamed secularization and modernization on Jewish influence. Lueger himself was known for his anti-Semitic views, and his appointment as mayor in 1897 marked the beginning of a "new if all-too-brief Golden Age" of Austrian anti-Semitism. This period also saw the rise of the Austro-Hungarian Liberal Party, which was a common adversary for anti-Semites, particularly in Vienna.
During the First World War, Adolf Hitler, a soldier in the German army, developed his anti-Semitic ideology, blaming Jews and communists for Germany's defeat and the rise of a left-wing government. In the 1920s and early 1930s, economic stagnation and political dictatorship in Austria led to a period of intense Nazi propaganda and the rapid expropriation of Austrian Jewish property, accompanied by extreme intimidation and violence towards Jewish people. This culminated in the German annexation of Austria in March 1938, which was enthusiastically supported by most of the Austrian population. The Nazis quickly extended anti-Jewish legislation to Austria, establishing concentration camps and deporting thousands of Jews to ghettos in Eastern Europe and camps in Germany.
Even after the war, anti-Semitism persisted in Austria, with the highest-ranking politicians making anti-Semitic statements in the late 1940s. The Austrian Jewish community faced dire living circumstances and a lack of housing in Vienna, creating an environment where even the leadership of the community did not encourage former Vienna Jews to return.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 1880s and 1890s, the common adversary of all Semites in Austria, especially in Vienna, was the Liberal Party. The Catholic Church and the Christian Social Party were also strongly influenced by anti-Semitism, often blaming Jews for the secularization and modernization of society.
The Austro-Hungarian government defined 'Jewishness' as a religious identity and expected Jews to assimilate in other areas of life. While the government did not advocate racial anti-Semitism, it did promote the idea that Jews should be treated as a separate, foreign nation. The emperor established a fund to finance the establishment of Jewish institutions and a Talmudic school for rabbis in Budapest.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Austria was experiencing economic stagnation, political dictatorship, and intense Nazi propaganda. This led to an increase in anti-Semitic sentiment, with Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe being blamed for the housing shortage and Jews being accused of not fighting in the First World War. Nazi Germany's severe anti-Jewish measures, such as boycotts of Jewish businesses, were also gaining support. By the time German troops entered Austria in March 1938, they received the enthusiastic support of most of the Austrian population.
The Austrian government did not make a serious effort to encourage Jews to return to the country after the war, and the living circumstances, especially the lack of housing in Vienna, made it difficult for Jews to return. High-ranking Austrian politicians, such as President Karl Renner, made anti-Semitic statements in the late 1940s, creating a culture of unwillingness to negotiate compensation for victims.
