Union of revolutionary workers in Austria

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The Union of Revolutionary Workers (VRA for short) was a Marxist organization founded in Austria on June 22, 1968 , which was active until around 2000. The VRA propagated Marxism-Leninism and proceeded ideologically from the class standpoint.

history

The VRA emerged from the union of two Marxist groups that had previously formed around the newspapers Funke and Der Kommunist . Some of its members also came from the ranks of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Austria (MLPÖ), which first split off as the MLÖ from the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) and was then wiped out by disputes over direction.

In April 1967 the first issue of the newspaper "Der Kommunist" appeared, which was published by the oil worker Alfred Jocha . However, some time passed before the VRA was founded. In October 1967 the newspaper "Der Kommunist" (No. 8) called for the establishment of "a revolutionary workers' party on the basis of Marxism - Leninism". The founding of a workers 'party apparently did not succeed because in February 1968 ("Der Kommunist" No. 12) announced the founding of the VRA as an association, which set itself the goal of founding a workers' party. The VRA's declaration of principles was published in June 1968 and has hardly been changed since then. From the late 1960s to around 1976, the Peking Rundschau occasionally published congratulatory letters and telegrams of condolence from Alfred Jocha on behalf of the organization. In the seventies the VRA was very popular, also from the student body , it appeared its own youth newspaper: The " Red Guard ". The VRA consisted of several regional organizations in different federal states. For many years Alfred Jocha was the chairman of the VRA.

In the past 40 years there have been various disputes over the direction of the organization, some of which were also reflected in its publications. For example, the newspaper “Der Kommunist” was renamed “ for the people's power ”, then “ the contradiction ” and finally back to “for the people's power”. Up to the year 2000, 327 issues of the newspaper and numerous individual brochures had appeared.

Political orientation

The VRA was based on the theories of Marx , Engels , Lenin , Stalin , Mao Zedong and the experiences of the international labor movement. She confessed to the worldview of dialectical materialism and never tried to take part in elections, but on the contrary often called for an election boycott . The VRA advocated the abolition of private ownership of the means of production , the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a classless communist society .

Founding members

literature

  • Friedrich-Wilhelm Schlomann , Paulette Friedlingstein: The Maoists. Beijing's branches in Western Europe , Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1970 (therein p. 214 f. Association of Revolutionary Workers Austria (Marxist-Leninists) and p. 207 ff. On MLPÖ)

Remarks

  1. ^ Friedrich-Wilhelm Schlomann , Paulette Friedlingstein: The Maoists. Beijing's branches in Western Europe , Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1970, pp. 210-211, 215-216.
  2. ↑ cf. Illustration of the cover of No. 37 (March) 1970 with a Mao head next to the magazine title and the subheading “ Central organ of the Union of Revolutionary Workers Austria (Marxist-Leninists)” in: Friedrich-Wilhelm Schlomann, Paulette Friedlingstein: Die Maoisten. Beijing's branches in Western Europe , Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1970, after p. 208. The headline read " Kreisky : New Chancellor of Capital!"
  3. ↑ The MLPÖ still exists
  4. ↑ z. B. Congratulatory message from the Union of Revolutionary Workers Austria (Marxist-Leninists) [on the launch of the first earth satellite], in: Peking Rundschau No. 22 of June 2, 1970, p. 35; Letter of Congratulations [on the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Chinese Communist Party ], No. 31, Aug. 3, 1971, p. 20; Telegram of condolences [on the death of Zhou Enlai ], in No. 4, January 27, 1976, p. 35
  5. ↑ since May 1969
  6. ^ Friedrich-Wilhelm Schlomann, Paulette Friedlingstein: The Maoists. Beijing's branches in Western Europe , Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1970, p. 214
  7. ^ Friedrich-Wilhelm Schlomann, Paulette Friedlingstein: The Maoists. Beijing's branches in Western Europe , Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1970, p. 207