The Austrian Parliament adopted this week-end an amnesty law which virtually wipes out every vestige of post-war anti-Nazi legislation and will free all Nazi war criminals sentenced to less than five years in prison. The overwhelming vote in favor of the measure was opposed by only the three Communist deputies.
The law restores to their old jobs former public officials and civil servants who were barred because of Nazi Party membership. Those eligible for pension by virtue of age and service but who were barred because of Nazi membership are now made eligible for state-supported retirement.
The law also ends the requirement of registration of former Nazis and suspends all new proceedings against Nazi war criminals. Legislation aimed at war criminals is completely invalidated. The coalition parties–Catholic People’s Party and the Social Democratic Party- -declared beforehand that the crimes of the Nazis cannot be undone, but that the rights of all citizens before the law must be restored.
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