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The new chairman Haubner is aiming for calm and continuity in the national fund
Peter Haubner became chairman of the National Fund in Austria. The first session decides on funding and re -orders.
The new chairman Haubner is aiming for calm and continuity in the national fund
On June 12, 2025, the Board of Trustees of the National Fund of the Republic of Austria met for the first time for victims of National Socialism under the new chairmanship of Peter Haubner (ÖVP). This first session took place on Thursday and marked an important step in the current legislative period. Haubner also takes over the chair of the Committee of the National Fund and the agendas of the Simon-Wiesenthal Prize. In this context, important resolutions were also made.
The session followed a change in the law that allowed the National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) to be "represented" overall. This change was a reaction to massive criticism from the Israelite cultural community and from various victim associations to Rosenkranz. The new chairman expressed that his goal was achieved that "rest, continuity and a constructive dialogue culture", such as vienna.at.
important resolutions and funding
The members of the National Fund and the jury of the Simon-Wiesenthal Prize were unanimously re-ordered as part of the meeting. These members are composed of various social and political representatives. The elected members include Andreas Minnich (ÖVP), Sabine Schatz (SPÖ), Karl-Arthur Arlamovsky (Neos) and Eva Blimlinger (Greens). Other important members include Oskar Deutsch (Israelite Culture Community Vienna) and representatives of various religious and cultural institutions.The board of trustees also approved funds of around 2.8 million euros, of which around 1.2 million euros for social and medical programs for Nazi survivors as well as educational and commemorative projects are to be employed. Around 1.5 million euros are planned to repair Jewish cemeteries in Vienna, a measure that is of great importance in the context of dealing with the National Socialist past, as is very important [ots.at] (https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250612_ots0106/kuratorium-und-komitee-des-desovsovs-sowie-simon-wiesenthal-prize-Jury-Ansvonigt-erste-er-befahl-stahl.
Simon-Wiesenthal Prize and its meaning
A central point of the session was also the discussion about the Simon-Wiesenthal Prize, which is awarded annually for civil society engagement against anti-Semitism and for clarifying the Holocaust. The Jury of the Simon-Wiesenthal Prize, which was unanimously confirmed, includes Brigitte Bailer, Oskar Deutsch and Katharina von Schnurbein (chairwoman). The price is endowed with 30,000 euros and is traditionally awarded in the parliamentary plenary hall.
In 2024, the award will be awarded on September 18, 2025, with the jury nominated ten projects from over 220 submissions from 30 countries. The importance of the prize was emphasized by the members of the board of trustees, including Hannah Lessing and Judith Pfeffer, to emphasize the need for the continuous processing of National Socialism, as NationalFonds.org explains.
In summary, it can be said that the meeting under Peter Haubner has made an important signal for the future work of the National Fund to ensure that the memory of the victims of National Socialism in Austria is appropriately recognized.