ABSTRACT
In November 1998, the government of Viktor Klima established the Historical Commission of the Republic of Austria. The legal research project will examine the obligations of the Republic of Austria under international law with regard to restitution and compensation after 1945 and the relevance of the "victim compensation doctrine". An important factor for the establishment of the Austrian Historical Commission emanated from the progress of contemporary and economic history. On 1 October 1998, Austria's federal chancellor, the vice-chancellor, the speaker of the national assembly, and the speaker of the federal council jointly appointed the Historical Commission. The commission works on their behalf but is autonomous and independent. The commission's mandate is to research and report on the looting of property in the territory of the Republic of Austria during the Nazi years as well as to probe the acts of restitution and/or compensation by the Republic of Austria after 1945.
