Religionsfonds#

Religionsfonds, legal entity under Austrian state church legislation. In 1782 Joseph II combined several funds (old religious funds, the Hermit fund and the Bohemian Salt fund (since 1630)) with the assets of more than 700 dissolved monasteries, closed churches and chapels, abolished benefices and confraternities of the monarchy to form the Religionsfonds. The fund was administered by state commissions that included church representatives. Formerly administered centrally from Vienna, the Religionsfonds passed into the jurisdiction of the provinces in 1802. It covered the personnel and material expenses of the newly established parishes, while older parishes were only granted allowances. In the 19th century expenses increased as old and Josephinian parishes were given equal status in 1885. The Concordat of 1855 and of 1933/34 continued the Religionsfonds. The Religionsfonds was dissolved after the Anschluss in 1938, in 1939 the Church Tax law was passed and all resulting rights and duties were passed on to the German Reich. In 1960 the "Vertrag zwischen dem Heiligen Stuhl und der Republik Oesterreich zur Regelung von vermoegensrechtlichen Beziehungen" (Treaty between the Holy See and the Republic of Austria regulating relations under property law) regulated the return of Religionsfonds assets to the Republic of Austria and a settlement with the Catholic church.

Literature#