Restitution as an interdisciplinary challenge? The cooperation between lawyers and historians in restitution matters.

Round table discussion on the occasion of the presentation of volumes 1 and 2 of the Decisions of the Arbitration Panel for In Rem Restitution.

For property seized during the National Socialist era that is publicly-owned today, the possibility of in rem restitution was provided for in the Washington Agreement of 17 January 2001. The series "Decisions of the Arbitration Panel for In Rem Restitution" documents a fundamental element of the more recent Austrian compensation measures dealing with the consequences of the National Socialist era.

The book presentation and the round tael discussion will take place on the 8th June 2009 at 6pm in the Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance and, under the title "Restitution as an Interdisciplinary Challenge?", will be devoted to the cooperation between historians and lawyers in matters of restitution. Presentations will be given by the University Lecturer HR. Dr. Brigitte Bailer, University Professor DDr. hc Clemens Jabloner, University Professor DDr. Oliver Rathkolb and University Professor Dr. Josef Aicher.

In the introductory presentations, the participants in the discussion will relate their personal experiences concerning the possibilities and restrictions of interdisciplinary cooperation in restitution matters, thus rendering a contribution to the current debate in Austria.

Programme

Welcome

Mag. Hannah Lessing
Secretary General of the National Fund of the Republic of Austria and the General Settlement Fund for Victims of National Socialism

Introduction

University Professor Dr. Josef Aicher
Chairperson of the Arbitration Panel for In Rem Restitution

Participants

University Lecturer HR Dr. Brigitte Bailer
Scientific Director of the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance; deputy chairperson of the Historical Commission of the Republic of Austria

University Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Clemens Jabloner
President of the Supreme Administrative Court; Chairperson of the Historical Commission of the Republic of Austria and of the Art Restitution Advisory Board

University Professor Dr. Josef Aicher
Professor for corporate and business law at the University of Vienna; Chairperson of the Arbitration Panel for In Rem Restitution

University Professor Dr. Dr. Oliver Rathkolb
Director of the Institute for Contemporary History of the University of Vienna

Moderation

Dr. Peter Huemer
Presenter, Historian and Journalist