Organs of the National Fund

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the supreme body of the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, the General Settlement Fund for Victims of National Socialism (dissolved 2022) and the Fund for the Restoration of the Jewish Cemeteries in Austria. Its responsibilities include establishing the guidelines and financial regulations for the payments by the Funds. It is also in charge of deciding how to invest the funds and ensuring that they are used for their designated purpose.

The members of the Board of Trustees are: 1. the Presidents of the National Council, 2. the Federal Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, the Federal Minister of Finance and the Federal Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs (or representatives appointed by the respective ministries), 3. twelve further members voted in by the Main Committee of the National Council.

The members voted in by the Main Committee must be members of the National Council or the Federal Council, including former members of the National Council or the Federal Council, other esteemed figures of Austrian public, cultural or academic life or representatives of the victims. They are elected to the Board for the duration of one legislative period and remain in office until replacement members have been elected.

The Board of Trustees is headed by the President of the National Council. Dr. Heinz Fischer (SPÖ) held this position from the establishment of the National Fund in 1995 until the year 2002, followed by Dr. Andreas Khol (ÖVP) from December 2002 until October 2006, Mag. Barbara Prammer (SPÖ) from October 2006 until August 2014, Doris Bures (SPÖ) from September 2014 until November 2017, Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) from November until December 2017 and Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) from December 2017 until October 2024. Dr. Walter Rosenkranz (ÖVP) has been the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees since October 2024, who handed over the chairmanship to the Second President of the National Council, Peter Haubner, in April 2025.

The Chairperson proposes members for a Control Committee, who are in office for the duration of the legislative period.