Large Plurality Of Austrians Oppose Holocaust Compensation Accord

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 5 June 2001

A large plurality of Austrians oppose the recent Austrian government agreement to provide compensation to Holocaust survivors, and also believe that Jews are "exploiting the memory of the Nazi extermination of six million Jews," according to a new American Jewish Committee survey.

At the same time, a large plurality of Austrians acknowledge that their country had a role in the events leading up to 1945, a sign that Austrians are beginning to come to terms with their nation's role in the Holocaust.

The AJC survey, Attitudes towards Jews and the Holocaust in Austria, released today at a news conference in Vienna, also gauged the attitudes of Austrians towards the far-right Freedom Party, and the leading figure in the party, Jorg Haider.

The survey, conducted for the AJC by the Gallup Institute of Austria, comes in the wake of the national debate over compensation for survivors, and the electoral success of the far-right Freedom Party.

The survey shows that 45 percent of Austrians "disapprove" of the January 2001 agreement the Austrian government signed to provide compensation for Austrian Jewish victims of the Nazis. Thirty-eight percent "approve" of the agreement.

In addition, 45 percent of Austrians agree, and 38 percent disagree, with the statement, "Jews are exploiting the memory of the Nazi extermination of the Jews for their own purpose." In a similar AJC survey, conducted in 1995, 28 percent agreed.

In a further reflection of negative feelings toward Jews, 40 percent of Austrians in 2001, compared to 29 percent in 1995, agree with the statement "Now as in the past Jews exert too much influence on world events."

On Austria's role during World War II, the survey found that 45 percent of Austrians, compared to 29 percent in 1995, are prepared to acknowledge that Austria was "also responsible as a participant in the events up to 1945." Some 34 percent of Austrians, in the 2001 survey, believe that Austria was the "first victim" of Nazi Germany, compared to 28 percent in the 1995 survey.

A key aim of this year's survey was to assess Austrian attitudes toward Haider. How Freedom Party supporters compare to other Austrians in their views about Jews and the Holocaust are matters of considerable urgency since the Freedom Party, which won 27 percent of the vote in the Austrian general election of October 1999, is a member of the ruling coalition, and Haider aspires to be chancellor of Austria.

Forty-nine percent of Austrians believe that Haider is an "anti-Semite and racist." On the other hand, more than half – 51 percent – believe he is "to be admired for saying things that other Austrian politicians are afraid to say."

Supporters of the Freedom Party, who constitute 16 percent of the respondents in the AJC survey, are far more likely than Austrians in general to exhibit anti-Jewish sentiment.

- Twenty-two percent of Freedom Party supporters, in contrast to 14 percent of the general Austrian population, maintain that "Jews behave in a manner that provokes hostility in our country."

- Thirty-two percent of Freedom Party supporters, compared with 19 percent of the overall Austrian population, believe that Jews have "too much influence" in Austrian society.

- Fifty-two percent of Freedom Party supporters, in contrast to 45 percent of the general Austrian population, agree with the statement, "Jews are exploiting the memory of the Nazi extermination of the Jews for their own purpose."

- Sixty-three percent of Freedom Party supporters, compared to 40 percent of the General Austrian population, agree with the statement "Jews exert too much influence in world events.

On anti-Semitism, the AJC survey found that 9 percent of Austrians believe that anti-Semitism in Austria is a "very serious problem, " 49 percent "somewhat of a problem," and 24 percent "not a problem at all."

Among the AJC survey's key findings on Holocaust remembrance and knowledge:

- 76 percent of Austrians think it is "essential" (24 percent) or "very important" (52 percent) for "all citizens of Austria to know about and understand the Nazi extermination of the Jews during World War II."

- 59 percent of Austrians feel that "we should keep the remembrance of the Nazi extermination of the Jews strong even after the passage of time," while 29 percent maintain that "50 years after the end of World War II it is time to put the memory of the Nazi extermination of the Jews behind us."

- 93 percent of respondents correctly identified Auschwitz, Dachau and Treblinka as concentration camps, and 89 percent knew the symbol – yellow star – Jews were forced to wear.

- 29 percent of Austrians chose "6 million" as the approximate number of Jews killed by the Nazis.

- 73 percent of Austrians say teaching about the Nazi extermination of the Jews during World War II should be included in Austrian schools.

"Attitudes toward Jews and the Holocaust in Austria," is the third in a series of AJC surveys gauging Austrian public opinion. Previous surveys were conducted in 1995 and 1991. In addition, AJC published last year a major study, "Austria and the Legacy of the Holocaust," that documented the historic inability of Austrians to come to grips with their nation's role in the Holocaust.

The Gallup Institute, the leading polling organization in Austria, interviewed, face-to-face, 2,000 respondents between March 1 and April 17, 2001. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org