UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Sigiel, Michelle C.
Dept./Program:
History
Year:
2013
Degree:
MA
Abstract:
Between the years 1938 and 1942, the leadership of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien, known in English as the Jewish Community of Vienna, sought to aid the Jewish community as best it could after the German Anschluss with Austria in March 1938. As a Jewish "self-government" organization, it played a large part in facilitating emigration from Austria in 1938 to 1941. It also sought to maintain social welfare services and healthcare for Jews as they continued to lose access to basic necessities once provided by the Austrian government. This thesis explores the decision-making process of the leaders through an examination of their communal records and personal letters, and considers the local and transnational pressures that informed their decision-making.
During these four years, the leadeiship of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien made decisions based upon more inclusive and exclusive criteria. I define "inclusive" as less restrained, and more willing to help all groups who sought aide or to emigrate, and "exclusive" as more restrained, discriminatory, and only willing to help groups based upon certain criteria. The director of the Gemeinde, Josef Löwenherz, expressed an overall concern and desire to help individuals and vulnerable groups within the community, but he became unable to help individual Jews emigrate or flee Austria as plans for the extermination and deportation of Jews evolved in 1941.
Other Jewish leaders' selection of suitable candidates for emigration can be characterized as more exclusive, restrained, and discriminatory towards candidates who could not appear ''useful, '' such as those incapable of working in the manual trades. While Jewish emigration officials in the Gemeinde practiced a more exclusive approach to selecting candidates, social welfare and health services officials and employees often worked more inclusively by trying to aid all those who came looking for help. Nevertheless, hospital employees and workers in health services sometimes received privileges from their superiors. The study of Jewish leadership during the Anschluss and Holocaust years reveals a complex variety of behaviors, making simple condemnation difficult to place.
During these four years, the leadeiship of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien made decisions based upon more inclusive and exclusive criteria. I define "inclusive" as less restrained, and more willing to help all groups who sought aide or to emigrate, and "exclusive" as more restrained, discriminatory, and only willing to help groups based upon certain criteria. The director of the Gemeinde, Josef Löwenherz, expressed an overall concern and desire to help individuals and vulnerable groups within the community, but he became unable to help individual Jews emigrate or flee Austria as plans for the extermination and deportation of Jews evolved in 1941.
Other Jewish leaders' selection of suitable candidates for emigration can be characterized as more exclusive, restrained, and discriminatory towards candidates who could not appear ''useful, '' such as those incapable of working in the manual trades. While Jewish emigration officials in the Gemeinde practiced a more exclusive approach to selecting candidates, social welfare and health services officials and employees often worked more inclusively by trying to aid all those who came looking for help. Nevertheless, hospital employees and workers in health services sometimes received privileges from their superiors. The study of Jewish leadership during the Anschluss and Holocaust years reveals a complex variety of behaviors, making simple condemnation difficult to place.