Forced Emigration of the Jews of Burgenland: A Test Case
The policy of forced emigration as
implemented first in Burgenland and then in other parts of Austria
was an important part of the development Nazi anti-Jewish policy
that ended in the destruction of European Jewry. It represented a
turning point in the “moderate” policy towards Jews 1933-1938 and
the legal status given them in the Nuremberg Laws. All aspects of
anti-Jewish policy that had been carried out before in Germany
secretly or behind a façade were here carried out openly,
energetically, and ruthlessly. Senior Nazis, such as Göring and
Heydrich, regarded the expulsion of the Jews of Burgenland as a
success. They attributed the success to cooperation with local
officials. The comments and actions of the local Nazi leader, Tobias
Portschy, reflect his initiative in persecuting the Jews. His
declaration that the goal of making Burgenlad Judenrein had
been achieved is an expression of the clear policy guidelines from
above that the Jews must leave the Third Reich and Europe. Thus, the
expulsion of the Jews from Burgenland reflects a combination of
local initiative and superior orders.
