A broadside issued by the "The Union of Rabbis in Austria A.Z. [American Zone], by the Central Jewish Committee". Salzburg, the eve of Rosh Chodesh Sivan – May 1947. Mimeographed manuscript, stamped with the official stamp of the Union. Printed on verso of an Austrian military form.
A call by the Union of Rabbis in Austria, announcing the 20th of Sivan as a "day of repentance, prayer and charity and a fast until 13:30" (Hebrew), following the request of Hungarian rabbis. The broadside announces the 20th of Sivan as the Yahrzeit for those of She'erit Hapletah whose relatives' death dates are unknown. It is stamped with the official stamp of the "Union of Rabbis in central Austria – in Salzburg".
At the end of World War II, there was a disagreement among European rabbis as to whether to announce a special day to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. Among those objecting to the idea were the Rebbes of Gur and Belz, Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Halevi Soloveitchik and the Chazon Ish, who claimed that in our generation it is not permitted to declare a new permanent fast. The rabbis of Hungary and Austria declared the 20th of Sivan as a day of fast, claiming that this day had traditionally been a day of fasting among the Jews of Poland, commemorating the riots of 1648.
[1] leaf, 29.5 cm. Fair condition. Fold lines. Tears, some of them repaired with acidic tape. Faded and blurred text in several places. Fragile and dry paper.