The President of the Jewish Community in Vienna, Oskar Deutsch, would like a “Shoah Center” in Vienna. Such institutions in Israel and the USA could be role models for this, he said in the APA interview. He also reported that the war in Ukraine had also allowed the Jewish community in Vienna to grow. Deutsch still does not want any contact with the FPÖ.
“There are fewer and fewer contemporary witnesses,” says Deutsch, explaining the need for a center that deals specifically with the Shoah. He came up with the idea while visiting the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles, where contemporary witnesses contact younger visitors via holograms. “My children were particularly impressed by this interaction.”
In the entire German-speaking area, actually in all of Europe, there is no such facility. Such an institution does not necessarily have to come close to the dimensions of Yad Vashem. The city of Vienna and the federal government could lead the way as sponsors of such a center, if German has its way. “That would also set an example internationally.”
Deutsch also wants to convey the fact that apart from the painful history of Judaism there is also lively community life and to bring people closer to “the beauty of Judaism”, because: “We cannot be reduced to the Holocaust.” The community is currently also growing as a result of the Russian war against Ukraine, which Deutsch describes as a “great crime”.
From the very beginning, the IKG has taken care of the displaced people from the Ukraine. Of a total of 1,100 refugees, around 900 are currently being cared for in Vienna. At the beginning of the war, these were still accommodated in hotels, but apartments were gradually rented. And although many expellees want to return to their homeland sooner or later, some Jews have also come to stay. Several dozen membership applications are currently being processed at the IKG.
Deutsch does not currently have the wish for a synagogue that is more recognizable from the outside – these were erased from the cityscape during the Nazi era – as all Jewish institutions are clearly marked – by police presence due to the security threat. The “vision” of the IKG President: “That one day our children will go to school or synagogues as one goes to a church or a non-Jewish school. Without being checked like at the airport. That should be a matter of course at some point.”
Deutsch wants to see the controversial Karl Lueger monument in Vienna removed. However, he warns against a “salami tactic”. There are other streets in Austria named after anti-Semites. For this reason, a nationwide study that deals with the topic would be appropriate. “And then we should sit down with the federal and state governments and see what we do with it? Yes, the Lueger monument is at the top and it needs to be disposed of. But we should look to find overall solutions.”
Regarding the recent strong increase in reports of anti-Semitic incidents, Deutsch says: “Anti-Semitism is a cancerous growth. We will always have anti-Semites, in Austria, throughout Europe, in the USA, everywhere. We just have to make sure that we stop this anti-Semitism, which is growing too much become strong, contain it, do less.” There are many ways to fight against what is being done in Austria. But of course you can always do more, says Deutsch.
What irritates German is the fact that even many people who are not anti-Semites find it difficult to pronounce the word Jew. “What particularly bothers me is when you say ‘Jewish fellow citizens’. You don’t say ‘Catholic fellow citizens’ or ‘Muslim fellow citizens’ either. I don’t understand people. Maybe people think that Jew is a swear word. I’m a proud Jew and the word should also come under normal usage.”
Deutsch currently still does not see a basis for discussion with the FPÖ. Recently, for example, the liberal federal presidential candidate and ombudsman Walter Rosenkranz complained that the IKG had refused to shake hands with him. “Mr. Rosenkranz will continue to have this concern,” says Deutsch.
“I know that parties have different opinions. But if Europe is in a crisis, then you should put the party book aside and really try to put what unites before what divides,” Deutsch appealed to politicians in general. “And I’m worried that there are people – including from the FPÖ – who are igniting. They only look at a few percent more for their own party. And igniting is dangerous, especially in times of crisis.”
According to Deutsch, the high inflation and before that the corona pandemic are having an impact on the Jews in Austria. “In our community, the number of families running out of money to buy groceries towards the end of the month has almost doubled in the past two years. Current inflation poses risks for society as a whole that some political actors are keen to capitalize on. We will all have to pay special attention to that in the autumn.”
Incidentally, Deutsch has one piece of advice ready to help against the crisis caused by inflation: “Of course, politicians have to ensure stable framework conditions, but everyone has to make their own contribution.” An example is the discussion about one car-free day per week. “Jews have known the car-free day for longer than there have been cars. One should rest on the seventh day of the week. The fact that resources are also conserved is a positive side effect. But it is up to everyone how they organize the week and the weekend. “
A sustainable lifestyle is not only important to Germans in connection with rising prices. “How we treat the earth is one of the most important questions for the future. Man-made changes in the climate cannot be ignored,” he says. “Protecting the environment must be understood as an imperative for all mankind. It derives both from the Torah and from common sense.”
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