Union Österreichischer Juden: Archives

Union Österreichischer Juden was a political organization in the Austrian Empire which represented Jewish interests. The organization was founded in 1884 in response to the electoral victory of anti-Semitic politicians in Vienna and Lower Austria. After World War I, the association was called Union of German-Austrian Jews, and from 1931 Union of Austrian Jews, which published its communications in the weekly newspaper Die Wahrheit. The aim was to promote cohesion among Austrian Jews and their interests and to counter prejudice against them. The realization of these goals was very actively approached by the presidium of the organization, which included Joseph Samuel Bloch and Chief Rabbi Moritz Güdemann, as well as university professors and important businessmen. Influence was exerted in political elections and in the Jewish community of Vienna. Under its leadership there were, among other things, public lectures intended to raise Jewish consciousness. It also advocated the founding of a Jewish theological seminary in Vienna. In 1895 it supported the founding of the General Federation of Jewish Communities. The Union was well prepared for the anti-Semitic riots of 1896, which escalated especially in Bohemia. They regularly informed the press and the government about the state of the riots and asked for support. A Legal Protection Bureau was established, which offered free assistance to Jews whose rights had been violated. After the severe riots of 1898 in Galicia, they initiated a thorough investigation, of the circumstances of their co-religionists there. This resulted in the founding of the Galician Relief Society. From 1888 they published a monthly magazine entitled Mittheilungen der Oesterreichisch-Israelitischen Union, which was intended to disseminate their ideas and views. From 1892 it also published the Kalender für Israeliten, which is one of the best yearbooks of Jewish life. Later, the weekly newspaper Die Wahrheit became the organ of the Union.

Donated 5.1.2022

Donor: CAHJP