Corona virus and international antifascist work

14. März 2020

With large concern, the FIR and its member federations pursue the current spreading of the Corona virus in Europe. We are not only concerned about the health aspects seizing the entire society, but because this pandemic affects in various forms the anti-fascist and remembrance work of the FIR and all member federations.

Since this week in all German concentration camp memorial places the international commemoration ceremonies on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the liberation were cancelled. These cancellations were – according to our information – coordinated by the memorial site management with the international camp committees. Only the liberation celebrations in Mauthausen in May 2020 have not yet been cancelled. However, the Mauthausen Memorial is closed until the beginning of April due to a government order. The same applies to the Auschwitz Memorial, which has been temporarily closed until the end of March. The reason given for the cancellations was that older people in particular belong to the high-risk groups whose lives are seriously endangered by illness. We welcome such preventive health measures, even if the political damage is immense in our view.

In addition, the projects of the FIR and its member federations are massively obstructed by these precautionary measures for the containment of the pandemic. In Hungary, the annual awarding of the Radnoti price had to be postponed for some months. In Italy, the traditional celebrations to 25 April, the liberation day, are actually endangered. The planned anti-fascist conference of the Russian Veterans Association must also be postponed to the second half of the year. Moreover, the great youth project “Train of a Thousand”, the commemorative train from Brussels to Auschwitz, is in danger to be cancelled due to the Europe-wide restrictions on travel possibilities and the health risks for the participants.

Such restrictions are politically painful, but what is important in this situation is that all our comrades-in-arms and especially the veterans of the anti-fascist struggle stay healthy and can continue to make their contribution to our common tasks.

It remains in the responsibility of the FIR and its member federations that after the pandemic has died down, the state institutions and the memorial places should not go over “to the agenda”.

We stand up for the fact that in all memorial places in appropriate form the liberation of the camps will be remembered also in the coming years. The understandable cancellations of this year’s commemorations must not be used as an excuse to ignore this date in the future.

Together with the survivors and their relatives as well as the anti-fascist associations, the memorial sites are obliged also in the future to organize a worthy commemoration and remembrance work corresponding to the survivors’ legacy.

The days of liberation and the Day of Victory on May 9, 1945 remain in the collective memory of the peoples and will continue to be commemorated in the future – regardless of corona virus and other restrictions.

27 January 1945 – 75 years ago the Auschwitz death camp was liberated

25. Januar 2020

On 27 January 1945, the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front whose Commander-in-Chief was Marshal I.S. Konev, succeeded in liberating the Auschwitz extermination camp.

Auschwitz stands until today as a symbol for the incomprehensible monstrosity of the fascist extermination policy. Between the summer of 1940 and January 1945, more than 1.3 million people from all over Europe, Jews, Sinti and Roma, political opponents, and other marginalized persons were deported to the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp. At least 1.1 million were murdered in the gas chambers, by shooting or by “extermination through work” for the IG Farben Company and other armament factories.

In the morning of January 27, 1945, the 322nd Infantry Division of the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front under the supreme command of Colonel General Pavel A. Kurochkin first reached the main camp at Monowitz. Units of the Waffen-SS and the Wehrmacht still offered bitter military resistance, so that more than 230 Soviet soldiers lost their lives during the liberation of Auschwitz. During the day, Red Army soldiers advanced to Auschwitz and Birkenau.

In the main camp, in Birkenau and Monowitz, they encountered only about 7,000 prisoners. Even in the first days after liberation, numerous prisoners died of exhaustion. Among the liberated were more than 200 children up to the age of 15, mostly twins, who were intended as test subjects for SS doctors. On the site itself, the Soviet soldiers found about 600 dead camp inmates, who had been shot by SS men just before their departure.

The survivors of Auschwitz formulated in a message at the beginning of March 1945: “We, the rescued former prisoners, owe our rescue to the brave Red Army and ask the international public and their governments to take note of this and to express our gratitude on our behalf.

For more than a decade, January 27 has been commemorated worldwide as an International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust, following a decision by the United Nations.

The FIR and its member federations will never forget the victims of the extermination policy and remind at the same time the liberation achievements of the fighters of the Red Army as part of the anti-Hitler coalition – especially not on 27 January 2020.

(Deutsch) 27. Januar 1945 – vor 75 Jahren wurde das Vernichtungslager Auschwitz befreit

25. Januar 2020

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

Am 27. Januar 1945 gelang es der 60. Armee der I. Ukrainischen Front, deren Oberkommandierender Marschall I.S. Konew war, das Vernichtungslager Auschwitz zu befreien.

Auschwitz steht bis heute als Symbol für die unfassbare Monstrosität der faschistischen Vernichtungspolitik. In das Konzentrations- und Vernichtungslager Auschwitz wurden vom Sommer 1940 bis Januar 1945 über 1,3 Mio. Menschen aus ganz Europa, Juden, Sinti und Roma, politische Gegner und andere Ausgegrenzte verschleppt, mindestens 1,1 Mio. wurden in den Gaskammern, durch Erschießungen oder durch „Vernichtung durch Arbeit“ für den IG Farben Konzern und andere Rüstungsbetriebe ermordet.

Am Vormittag des 27. Januar 1945 erreichte die 322. Infanteriedivision der 60. Armee der 1. Ukrainischen Front unter dem Oberbefehl von Generaloberst Pawel A. Kurotschkin zuerst das Hauptlager von Monowitz. Einheiten der Waffen-SS und der Wehrmacht leisteten noch erbitterten militärischen Widerstand, so dass über 230 sowjetische Soldaten bei der Befreiung von Auschwitz ihr Leben ließen. Im Laufe des Tages stießen die Soldaten der Roten Armee nach Auschwitz und Birkenau vor.

Im Stammlager, in Birkenau und Monowitz trafen sie nur noch etwa 7.000 Häftlinge an. Noch in den ersten Tagen nach der Befreiung starben zahlreiche Häftlinge an Entkräftung. Unter den Befreiten befanden sich über 200 Kinder im Alter bis zu 15 Jahren, zumeist Zwillinge, die als Versuchsobjekte für SS-Ärzte vorgesehen waren. Auf dem Gelände selber fanden die sowjetischen Soldaten etwa 600 Tote – Lagerinsassen, die von SS-Männern noch unmittelbar vor ihrem Abzug erschossen worden waren.

Die Überlebenden von Auschwitz formulierten Anfang März 1945 in einer Botschaft: „Wir, die geretteten ehemaligen Häftlinge, verdanken unsere Rettung der tapferen Roten Armee und bitten die internationale Öffentlichkeit und ihre Regierungen hiervon Kenntnis zu nehmen und in unserem Namen hierfür Dank abzustatten.“

Seit über einem Jahrzehnt wird – auf Beschluss der Vereinten Nationen – der 27. Januar weltweit als Internationaler Gedenktag für die Opfer des Holocaust begangen. Die FIR und ihre Mitgliedsverbände werden die Opfer der faschistischen Vernichtungspolitik und die Befreiungsleistungen der Kämpfer der Roten Armee als Teil der Anti-Hitler-Koalition niemals vergessen – gerade nicht am 27. Januar 2020.

 

Impressions of XVIII FIR congress in Reggio Emilia

8. Dezember 2019

Opening of the congress in “Sale di Tricolore”

Political opening speech of President Vilmos Hanti

Secretary General presented an illustrated political report

The delegates and guests followed the congress with high attention

An impressive wreath laying ceremony in the city centre of Reggio Emilia

 

(Deutsch) Impressionen vom XVIII FIR Kongress in Reggio Emilia

8. Dezember 2019

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Begrüßung der Delegierten und Gäste im “Sale di Tricolore”

Eröffnung der Konferenz durch Präsident Vilmos Hanti

Der Generalsekretär präsentiert einen illustrierten Rechenschaftsbericht

Die Delegierten und Gäste folgen aufmerksam der Konferenz

Eine würdige Kranzniederlegung in der Innenstadt von Reggio Emilia

 

Support for the Bulgarian Antifascists

8. Dezember 2019

The FIR supports the justified request of the Bulgarian veterans and anti-fascists to be recognized socially as fighters in the ranks of the Anti-Hitler-Coalition. The Congress decides that the following letter will be sent to the Bulgarian authorities:

 

TO:      MRS TSVETA KARAYANCHEVA, Chairwoman OF BULGARIAN PARLIAMNT

TO:      MR. BOYKO BORISOV, CHAIRMAN OF THE CONCIL OF MINSTERS OF BULGARIA

TO:      MR. RUMEN RADEV, PRESIDENT OF BULGARIA

We were surprised to understood that Bulgarians who take part of the in the anti-fascist struggle between 1941-1944 in Bulgaria are not recognized as veterans from Second World War. For us that mean that first as if underestimating and trample the memory of thousands of Bulgarian antifascists, who gave their blood for in the antifascist struggle and second we accept that fact as unrespect to those Bulgarian heroes who today are not alive.

Is it right those days when Bulgaria is full member of European Union, members of the antifascist resistance not to have official status of veterans of the Second World War? For us it is not right and equitable for us. How Bulgarian antifascist are different from their brothers, who take place in antifascist resistance in Europe? For us there is no such a difference! All of us courageously were fighting against Hitler’s fascism.

We would like officially to ask you honourable parliamentarian and political leaders to help us for the official recognition of Bulgarian antifascist as veterans from the Second World War from the Bulgarian parliament.

With that gesture you will not only show respect to Bulgarian antifascists whose number from years decreases because of the biological reasons  but also with that gesture you will give a solid guarantee of the Bulgarian public that you ensure the European values and traditions and also you will give an example of how you attribute in fighting against the neofascism today which works hard over the all continent. Let do not give a chance to neofascist fever to work in our countries.

We would like to wish you health, cheerfulness and success with your highly responsible work like European parliamentarians for the progress and wellness of the peace in whole Europe.

Declaration against historical revisionism

8. Dezember 2019

The delegates of the XVIII Congress of the Federation Internationale des Resistants (FIR) – Association Antifasciste are deeply horrified of accepted resolution of the European remembrance for the future of Europe on 19th September 2019 from European parliament.

It opens the doors of the European Union for fascist invasion. Moreover, it appeals European countries with all resources to provide that antinational politics, to cover atrocities and crimes of the fascism period of the Second World War. The fact is that 535 members of the European parliament delegated there from laboured and progressive Europe, occupied and repressed from Nazi Germany at the time of Second World War with clear majority accepted this bold and brazen resolution with fake content. That is how without any historical remembrance they defend revisionists, Russophobe’s and anti-communist positions and justifies neoliberalism.

How can the “United Europe” deny historical truth and to state that instigator of the Second World War is the Soviet Union, to state also that German-Soviet plan is the reason for Second World War’s events? How Europe can state that Nazi Germany and Soviet Union are Gemini who had the negotiations to separate the world by each other? How that New Europe can state the Red Army is not the liberator of Europe and it is enslaver and occupier?

We flatly opposed and deplore of accepted resolution of the European parliament. We also do not accept the faked historical events of that period. We appeal to all progressive thinking people to unite their forces in the battle with all tries of the rebuilding of the fascism;

We are for verification of the historical truth.

– The Soviet Union is not instigator of the Second Wold War.

– Never Nazi Germany and Soviet Union had negotiations for sharing the world.

– The Red army as part of the Anti-Hitler-Coalition had the biggest contribution for the liberation of Europe from Nazism.

We will defend historical truth of the Second World War and will be struggling for peace, freedom and demarcation in whole Europe and the world!

Stop the financial attacks against VVN-BdA

8. Dezember 2019

The FIR registers with concern that the German union of the pursued ones of the Nazi regime – association of anti-fascists (VVN-BdA) is attacked with the means of the tax law. Its political work against old and new Nazis, against racism and dismantling of democracy, for anti-fascist historical memory and international understanding as well as the support of the last still living contemporary witnesses from pursuit and resistance will be more complicate because of financial restriction.

While on one hand the politically responsible persons in Germany spoke full-bodied after the assassination attempt on a synagogue in Halle of the fight against extreme right and against anti-Semitism, on the other hand the largest anti-fascist organization in Germany is attacked on financial level. Thus, the tax authorities make a contribution to pursue anti-fascism – as it demands the extremely right AfD

The VVN-BdA calls under the slogan “anti-fascism must remain non-profit”:

“We demand the recognition of charity for our organization!

We demand practical support for all civil society groups and organizations that defend the basic values of the Basic Law against racist, anti-Semitic, nationalist and neo-Fascist attacks!”

The FIR supports the VVN-BdA in its fight around its non-profit character. We see in the procedure of the finance authority an attempt to make the organization politically gag-dead with the instrument of the tax law.

We call the German Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the land finance Ministers to stop these attacks on an active civilian-society organization in the fight against Neo-fascism and extreme right development.

We call our member federations to support the VVN-BdA by contacting German Embassies and sending protest notes against these attacks against the largest, oldest, non-party and non-denominational organization of anti-fascists in Germany.

International day against Racism

8. Dezember 2019

In 1966, the United Nations declared 21 March the “International Day against Racism”. The date commemorates the massacre of the South African racist government in Sharpeville, in which 69 people had been murdered six years before.

The apartheid regime in South Africa is history, but racism is unfortunately worldwide. We are witnessing an alarming increase in this inhuman ideology worldwide and the resulting discrimination through laws and other political decisions.

Therefore, the “international day against racism” is until today an important event, on which anti-fascists should set a common sign. In many countries there are in addition alliances, f. e. the movement “stand up to Racism” created with the web-side “#world against racism” a possibility for cross-linking.

All member federations of the FIR are requested to contribute in their countries to the fact that the 21. March 2020 becomes an impressive public action day against racism and extreme right agitation.

Stop SS pensions, compensate victims

8. Dezember 2019

May 8 and 9, 2020, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the liberation from fascism and its barbaric war by the military victory over the German Nazi regime.

In Germany and other countries there still live former Waffen-SS fighters who – from Belgium to Latvia and Finland – receive pensions from Germany for their participation in massacres, genocide and war of annihilation. At the same time, their victims are still denied any compensation.

The FIR supports all initiatives to stop the pension payments to former members of the Waffen-SS as well as the demands of survivors and relatives of victims of the numerous massacres, the Jewish community in Thessaloniki, the Greek state and other victims of Nazi terror for compensation.

At a time when extreme right-wing, nationalist and authoritarian movements are growing all over the world and are partly governments, it is important that the punishment of perpetrators and the compensation of victims be made clear:

Fascism is not an opinion, but a crime!

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