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Vienna Restitution Commission: Maria Berger leads the historical review
Maria Berger becomes the new chairwoman of the Vienna Restitution Commission to deal with historical injustices from the Nazi era.
Vienna Restitution Commission: Maria Berger leads the historical review
In a significant step towards processing assets confiscated during National Socialism, Maria Berger, former federal minister and judge at the European Court of Justice, was appointed as the new chairwoman of the Vienna Restitution Commission. Mayor Michael Ludwig announced the decision, as the successor to the late Mag. Walter Hellmich, who headed the commission for over 25 years. Ludwig considers Vienna's historical responsibility to shed light on the dark chapters of National Socialism and to recognize the suffering suffered by those affected to be particularly important is reported.
A new era for provenance research
Maria Berger, who will take office on January 1, 2025, brings not only extensive legal expertise, but also a keen eye on European law. In the past, Vienna has attempted to identify and return stolen property through systematic provenance research since 1999. These efforts have so far resulted in the return of over 5,900 objects from the Vienna Museum and the Vienna Library, reported voeb-b.at. In total, more than 2,856 individual objects and numerous archive materials have been restituted since the restitution began, which demonstrates the commission's committed work.
City Councilor Dr. Andreas Mailath-Pokorny confirmed that the return of property stolen during the Nazi era in Austria is still “inadequate and far too slow”. However, Vienna has actively decided to take a proactive approach, which involves researching owners or their heirs themselves, rather than just reacting to reports. This is a crucial difference to the federal government's approach, which treats responsibility rather passively.
Berger herself expressed optimism about the challenges ahead and sees her many years of experience as an opportunity to successfully handle complex legal and human aspects. When she takes office, the mandate of all other members of the Restitution Commission will also be renewed, which underlines Vienna's ongoing commitment to coming to terms with its Nazi past.