Providing war victims of World War I

The subject of the Study is the assistance for the victims of World War I in Austria. The first part explains the numerous measures taken in favour of disabled veterans and war widows during the war. The central law in the assistance programme, the Militärversorgungsgesetz of 1875, did not manage to provide those in need adequately and had to be accompanied therefore by various supporting measures. These measures were provisional by nature. The reintegration of the disabled veterans into the labour market was of highest priority. This reintegration of returned soldiers restricted of their earning capacity required intensive medical care and special professional training. The appropriate authorities were insufficiently funded. The studys second part describes the post-war period. In April 1919 the exemplary international innovative Invalidenentschädigungsgesetz was enacted in Austria; nevertheless the financial circumstances of the newly formed Austrian Republic was a hindrance to providing adequate assistance. On the other hand a new force emerged in the form of a strong invalids movement: These organisations had the lobbying power to push through their claims. The newly emerging assistance for war victims was the root of current social policy. The final part provides a range of statistical figures, related to the numbers and conditions of war victims.