HISTORICAL COMMISSION GETS MORE THAN 200 APPLICATIONS FROM SCHOLARS

Over 200 scholars from seven countries have applied to the Historical Commission for research contracts. Individuals as well as numerous teams sent in their expositions before the end of the deadline for applications, Wednesday, 23 June 1999. The projects for which bids were invited concern the following subjects: "Aryanisation"; National Minorities; Victims of Political Persecution; The Roman Catholic Church; the "Holding Commissioner"; Forced Labour; Genesis of Restitution and Compensation Legislation and Analysis of Its Practical Implementation. The applicants were historians, lawyers, art historians, economists and experts on journalism and communications. Their proposals were spread fairly equally over the above subject matters. As is shown by the applications received from Germany, Switzerland, the US, the Czech Republic and other countries, international interest in the Historical Commission's researches is considerable.

The Commission's first selection session starts on Thursday, 1 July. The Commission will examine the applications, establishing a short list. Over the following weeks (in July) the Commission is planning to hold information meetings with applicants so as to be able to decide on project awards as quickly as possible. The Commission is confident that it will be in a position to place the research contracts in August.

Enquiries should be addressed to:

Dr. Reinhard Binder-Krieglstein, Mag. Eva Blimlinger
Sekretariat der Historikerkommission,
Wien 3, Nottendorfer Gasse 2,
Phone: +43 1 79540-180 od. 181,
Fax: +43 1 79540-186,
hiskom@oesta.gv.at