‘Departure from a Sinking World’: Jewish Emigration from Austria between 1933 and 1938

Abstract

Abstract Hitler’s rise to power in Germany in 1933 was a highly alarming signal for the Austrian Jewish population. Many recognized the seriousness of the situation and considered emigrating, but only some of them did so. The reactions were influenced by a number of factors—age, gender, family background, further socialization, private, professional, and organizational networks, financial situation, the role of religion, the attitude towards Zionism, and political convictions. For the vast majority who did not emigrate before 1938, a lack of awareness of the danger cannot always be assumed. Antisemitism in Austria was almost always a factor in the decision to emigrate. The difficult economic situation in the interwar period had a particularly strong impact on the Jewish population due to discrimination in professional life. The Austrofascist regime did not enact antisemitic laws, but did not protect Jews from various forms of attack. Members of the banned left-wing parties were threatened with prosecution and internment—a motive for flight. I try to find out how much scope for action, how much agency, Austrian Jews possessed during the period from 1933 to 1938. I investigate the factors that led to the decision of individuals to emigrate and the circumstances that encouraged or hindered the realization of such plans—in a time when nobody could foresee the Shoah. Since the bare figures on Jewish emigration during this period do not allow any insight into personal motifs, we remain largely dependent on individual testimonies.