False Report Concerning Return of Austrian Jewish Community's Historical Documents From Jerusalem

VIENNA, Austria, October 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

IKG Claims That it is the Sole Owner of the Documents/Archive

The Jewish Community in Vienna (IKG) filed a lawsuit with the Jerusalem District Court demanding to receive back to its possession historical documents which it has loaned to the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People. In the lawsuit, the IKG claims that it is the sole owner of the documents/archive and that it has, and always had, the right to terminate the loan and to receive the documents back to Vienna, as it is the owners' right, and his right alone, to decide what happens with his property. The IKG supports its claim with a plethora of strong evidence, including a wide collection of documents exchanged between the parties, showing that the parties clearly agreed to the transfer of the documents being a loan, terminable at any time. In the course of the preliminary proceedings in the case, it has been suggested by the Central Archive that the standpoint of Israel's State Archive on this matter be heard. Unsurprisingly, and due to its interest to keep the documents in Israel, the Archive has issued an opinion which ignores the substantiated evidence provided by the IKG and wishes to grant the Central Archive the authority to keep documents which it does not legally possess. Luckily, this matter will not, and was never intended to, be resolved by the non-binding standpoint of the State Archive, which is an interested party in this matter, but rather by the district court. The IKG believes that the State Archive's position serves to demonstrate how various organs of the State of Israel are working together to illegally expropriate the documents from the IKG, and, in accordance with the instructions of the court, will revert to the court with its response to the State Archive's standpoint. It should be noted that the proceedings in this matter are expected to continue in a preliminary hearing scheduled on 1 November, 2012. 

Oskar Deutsch

President of the Jewish Community Vienna

Contact:

Erika Jakubovits, Executive Director, Jewish Community Vienna: Tel: +43-1-53104-180, e.jakubovits@ikg-wien.at