Real Estate

Legal Foundations

• The establishment of the General Settlement Fund for Victims of National Socialism by the Republic of Austria was laid down in the Washington Accord of January 17, 2001 (an agreement between the Austrian federal government and the government of the United States of America on the regulation of issues regarding compensation and restitution for victims of National Socialism, including annexes.)


• In rem restitution is a significant component of the General Settlement Fund Act of February 28, 2001.


• The Arbitration Panel for In Rem Restitution comes under the General Settlement Fund and issues decisions on claims for in rem restitution. The Rules of Procedure for the Arbitration Panel for In Rem Restitution was passed on April 11, 2002, and amended both on January 22, 2007, and on January 21, 2008. The current version can be found on the homepage of the General Settlement Fund.


• The following federal provinces, cities and municipalities have decided pursuant to Section 38 of the Settlement Fund Act to submit claims for in rem restitution to the Arbitration Panel: Federal provinces Upper Austria, Carinthia (which passed their own restitution legislation) and the federal provinces of Vienna, Burgenland, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria and Vorarlberg, as well as the municipalities of Bad Ischl, Eisenstadt, Grieskirchen, Kittsee, Korneuburg, Mattersburg, Oberwart, Purkersdorf, Rechnitz, Stockerau, Vöcklabruck and Wiener Neudorf. Information on unexpired deadlines can be found at the homepage of the General Settlement Fund.