Austrian Press Agency (08/28/2008)
Jewish Welcome Service of Vienna
Visit of Expelled Jewish Citizens
Vienna – The Jewish Welcome Service in Vienna is inviting a group of former Viennese who were expelled by the National Socialists to a one-week visit to Vienna from August 31 to September 7, 2008. The guests come from the USA, Australia, Canada, England, Israel as well as Argentina and Uruguay. Most of the guests are being accompanied by their children and grandchildren. Altogether some seventy people will be in Vienna this week upon invitation from the Jewish Welcome Service. This year marks the fourth largest group invited by the service. Financing in 2008 came with support of the Federal Chancellery as well as the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria. The Jewish Welcome Service has organized an extensive visitor’s program including visits with Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer and a tour of Vienna’s City Hall.
Jewish Welcome Service Founded in 1980
The organization was founded in 1980 upon initiative of former mayor Leopold Gratz and city counsellor Heinz Nittel, together with Leon Zelman who died in July, 2007. Current president is the mayor of the City of Vienna; the work of Leon Zelman has been continued by Susanne Trauneck as Secretary General. The Jewish Welcome Service has extended the program of inviting expelled Austrian Jewish citizens, in addition to second and third generation Shoah survivors, for over twenty-five years. Moreover, the organization maintains numerous projects in the field of child and adult education as well as an information office for visitors to Vienna. In 2008 the Jewish Welcome Service is supporting, among other projects, the Servitengasse 1938 in the 9th district, Herklotzgasse 21 in the 15th district and the remembrance project in the Radetzkyschule in the 3rd district.
For information, see: www.Jewish-welcome.at