We publish an English translation of a report on the First of May in Austria. [Source: demvolkedienen.org]
First of May in Austria: Everything for the revolution! Everything for the Revolutionary Party! The First of May 2018 was celebrated vividly and vigorously by the revolutionaries in Austria. The demonstrations in all Austrian states were bigger than in the last years. Here it's important to highlight the collaboration between the Austrian revolutionaries and the Turkish and Kurdish comrades of Partizan Avusturia. The First of May 2018 initiated a large campaign on the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ), which had a great and vigorous presence in form of banners, posters and flyers. In four states of Austria banners were held up that depicted the 12 Heroes of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Austria, all of which where murdered by the Nazi-fascists. The parole "Everything for the revolution! Everything for the Revolutionary Party!" gave further orientation to the revolutionary forces on the tasks of the coming year: To bring forth with all force the reconstitution of the Communist Party of Austria! The international campaign of the "200th anniversary of Karl Marx" also found a powerful expression: Banners were held up and carried in many states of Austria to uphold and defend Karl Marx, the great founder of scientific Socialism. We also want to highlight the joint international statement to the 200th Birthday of Karl Marx, which we value as a positive expression within the progressing unification of the International Communist Movement. The First of May was a victory for the revolutionaries in Austria! The revolutionaries and many new sympathizers took on with enthusiasm the historic task of continuing the path, which was first set in 1918. In the process they established an important basis on which they could be of great service to the international proletariat in the coming year. Long live the First of May!
Everything for the revolution! Everything for the Revolutionary Party!
Vienna - On the First of May around 1000 people participated in the Internationalist demonstration on the Ring Road of Vienna. Something pleasant this year was the participation of many unorganized people. An important step for the unity of the revolutionary forces was the joint "red block" that was formed and which brought a vivid and militant mood into the demonstration. After the First of May demonstration there was another unannounced demonstration at the Prater, which on that day was visited by hundreds of thousands of people. The demonstration took place under the parole "Everything for the revolution! Everything for the Revolutionary Party!". On the banner three of the 12 Heroes of the Central Committee were depicted: Erwin Puschmann, Ferdinand Strasser and Oskar Grossmann. At this sight people of the observing crowd started clapping, yelling and some even raised their fists in approval. An activist of the unannounced demonstration said enthusiastically: "With this act we have brought the red First of May back to the workers and the masses. We have shown clearly what it means to trust in one's own strength and to walk one's own path in the struggle." At the center of this First of May was the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party and the present task to bring forward the reconstitution of the Revolutionary Party. This task, which revolutionaries will take on with full determination, was taken on with a lot of courage and full of vigour this First of May. As an activist put it: "The coming year brings many great expectations from us. We have the responsibility to make a contribution to reconstitute the Revolutionary Party. For this I want to put my entire strength into this task, for this task we will be ready to give our lives the same way the 12 Heroes of the Central Committee did."
Linz - This year on the First of May demonstration in Linz there was a strong expression of maoist forces that represented the international campaign of the 200th birthday of Karl Marx! Many new people participated in the demonstration, especially young activists and migrants. The revolutionaries in Linz support the initiation of a campaign to the "100 years Communist Party of Austria". Because of this a banner with the parole "Everything for the revolution! Everything for the Revolutionary Party!" was carried, which showed three of the Heroes of the Central Committee: Hedy Urach, Sepp Teufl and Leo Gabler! Adding to this, flyers of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the KPÖ were handed out, that call up for the reconstitution of the Communist Party of Austria. According to reports, the flyers found such a great approval, that they were "snatched" out of the hands of activists. The mood was in general really good and militant. The people that particiapted had great interest in infomaterials and flyers. An activist, which had already participated in the campaign "100th anniversary of the Great Socialist October Revolution", said: "the last campaign clearly showed us the necessity of the politcal struggle, that it depends on the act, inbefore politics cannot be simply seen as a hobby apart from everyday life and that in the end it's always about power. The political and ideological struggles, revolutions as well, are nothing "old", on the contrary the revolution is needed today and the teachings of the Great Socialist October Revolution, as well as the teachings of Karl Marx and the Communist Party of Austria must be as lively as ever! This was expressed in a really good way this First of May, where new activists, sympathizers and revolutionaries, who were strenghtened and developed by the last campaign, found themselves between the lines of the Proletarian World Revolution! That's why for me it's clear, that I'm part of the new campaign and that I will support with all my strength the moving forward of the Communist Party and the revolution!"
Tyrol - The year of struggle 2018/2019 was started in Innsbruck with a big demonstration and festivities, which saw a participation of around 1000 demonstrators. This year the struggle day of the working class laid in the light of the 200th birthday of Karl Marx, as well as the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Austria. Antifascists, revolutionaries and communists carried banners that supported these campaigns. Activists from Partizan carried a solidarity banner for two murdered Tikko-militants. With paroles like "Long Live the international solidarity!" and "Freedom to all political prisoners" a militant mood could be carried into the block. After the demonstration Partizan organized a First of May celebration, which saw an attendance of around 300 people. There was a contribution to the campaign 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Austria, a solidarity speech for the fallen Tikko-fighters and cultural contributions. There were also songs from a Turkish singer, who lives in exile in Germany. People sang, danced and celebrated the First of May befittingly!
Styria - Under the motto "Work and peace" 1400 people took to the streets on the First of May. In the year 2018 there are many reasons to celebrate: 100th anniversary of KPÖ, 200th birthday of Karl Marx. But none of these were found in the paroles of the organisation - the KPÖ Styria. "Make peace without weapons", "8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure time, 8 hours of sleep" and "fixed upper limits for rents" were the KPÖ-members' issues and they also carried these on their posters through the inner city. Other organisations like the KJÖ, KSV, GSL, the Kurdish cultural club, the Alevi club, but also trotzkist organisations also took part in the march - all without any reference to past events and to the anniversaries celebrated this year. For this, we are proud as revolutionaries and activists in Graz to have holden up three Heroes of the Central Committee: Alfred Klahr, Hermann Köhler and Franz Schuster. In this sense: Long live the red flag!
