Austria – 8th of May: Commemoration in Honor of the Victory and Liberation
We hereby share an unofficial translation of a report published by Die Rote Fahne.
On the 8th of May that in many countries (as well as on 9th of May) the victory over Nazifascism is being celebrated, in Vienna was held a quite successful rally. It was also supported by our Newspaper: Die Rote Fahne.
The bourgeois Parties and other State institutions celebrated this day as always with various “memorial acts”. Once more this picture was presented: The big amount of victims of the Nazifascism got memorized but at the same time these acts propagate that antifascism today means strengthening the bourgeois order. You may take a “critical” or “indignant” stand towards the ruling class and its disgusting hustle and bustle, but never question their order, their political system. A hollow and completely violated antifascism is being synthesized as the supposed “lesson of our history” and declared as (recently enforced) State’s reason, and at the same time explained that those who righteously hate and with indignation towards the capitalist exploitation system, may be a lot of things, but surely not this: true and consequent antifascists. Because for the ruling the principal lesson of the destruction of fascism is a clear thing: It was very close to their own vanishment through the red army, partisans and the unhappy masses, exhausted through war. And half of Europe was facing this situation: the capitalist system was thrown down, and the imperialists got expelled. People’s Democracies were built. This fear still sits profoundly in the reactionaries. That’s why they teach that only the one that is defending is antifascist who shares their conformist decadency. Only those who are ready to wage new imperialist wars with them against the east, is antifascist. That’s how the antifascism of the ruling class looks like.
In completely different was the rally of the day of liberation that was celebrated in Vienna, at 18.30 on Mariahilferstraße. At a moment there have been around 80 persons participating, united by the slogan: “Against further Warmongering and Militarization!”. The Lessons from the victory over the Nazifascism, learned from the liberation of Austria from the German domination and oppression, were stated clearly, expressed by many strong speeches, banners and flags. Together was highlighted that surely it was the Soviet Union, among the allied forces, who was the protagonist in the destruction of fascism (and paid the price of 27 Million deaths), principally the main responsible for Austria’s liberation. Also the special role of the Austrian Liberation Front (an antifascist Front of struggle, consistent of forces of different political orientations) and the leading role of the Communist Party of Austria in the struggle against the National-socialism and for the national liberation and independence of Austria, was highlighted. Many times was made clear, that to be consequent, the struggle against fascism needs to struggle against the capitalist system, imperialism. Linked to that there was made the connection to the great national liberation struggles in today’s world, f. e. Palestine, or the Philippines. The demonstrators denounced clearly the genocide in the third world, that is being committed by the imperialists, as well as they took position against the reactionary and imperialist warmongering and militarization plans in the EU.
The big amount of people passing by was receiving the rally very positively, some saluted in a friendly manner and joined it for a while. The organizations and Initiatives that carried out this rally, unified themselves in a historic victory over fascism, according to this event of international importance, was also its consistency, that was very international, Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle, Arabic Palestine Club (APC), Red League (Germany), Partizan, Action of the Democratic Rights of the People (ADRV), Kommunist Initiative of Union International (KOMinern), Proletarian Revolution Collective, Woman’s Center Vienna (FZ) and the Liberation-Initiative for Political Prisoners. And other participants like activists of the Palestine-Solidarity Movement were also present. The rally was proving by its composition and its content a true Internationalism and Friendship of People.
The rally was an important success and an expression of the fact, that its urgent to struggle for the lessons of history. With this action, the revision of history of the ruling was hit firmly, and there was created a base to keep up the struggle in the interest of the toiling, the working class and the people, today, together and even more firm!
Today like 80 years ago: Long live the victory over Nazifascism!
