Vienna. A new report from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Jerusalem has criticised Austria for not doing enough to track down Nazi war criminals. The head of the Wiesenthal Centre, Efraim Zuroff, has accused the Austrian government of lacking the political will to tackle the problem. The report contends that at least two alleged Nazi war criminals are known to be living in Austria. Milivoj Asner is accused of committing crimes against civilians for Croatia‘s wartime fascist regime. Officials say he is too feeble and senile to stand trial. Erna Wallisch served as a guard as the Majdanek concentration camp: She is thought to be living in Vienna.
The justice ministry reacted by admitting there had been "missed opportunities” under previous governmentst, but said that since Justice Minister Maria Berger took office that more was being done on the issue.

A ministry official cited the recently issued 50,000 euro reward leading to the capture and prosecution of Aribert Heim and Alois Brunner, who would today be 93 and 95 years old if still alive. Heim, who carried out executions as a member of the SS at the Mauthausen concentration camp, is thought to possibly be in Chile. Brunner helped organise the deportation of Jews and was last known to be living in Syria.

wienerzeitung.at