Jugend Europas auf den Gleisen der Demokratie und der Freiheit

7. April 2008

Unter dieser Losung werden über 1000 junge Leute zu einem Internationalen Jugendtreffen in der KZ Gedenkstätte Buchenwald vom 10. bis 14. April 2008 erwartet. Auf Einladung des belgischen “Institut des Véterans” und der Internationalen Föderation der Widerstandskämpfer (FIR) – Bund der Antifaschisten haben sich Delegationen aus Belgien und Israel, aus Russland und Portugal, aus Dänemark und Ungarn zu diesem Treffen in Weimar angemeldet.

Auf dem Programm stehen Führungen durch die Gedenkstätte Buchenwald, ein Gedenkgang von Weimar auf den Ettersberg, politische Diskussionen zu antifaschistischen Themen, Gespräche mit Zeitzeugen des antifaschistischen Kampfes, Filme und Konzerte.

Den Höhepunkt bildet am Sonntag, den 13. April 2008 die gemeinsame Gedenkkundgebung auf dem Appellplatz und die Jugendkundgebung am Glockenturm von Buchenwald. Anlässlich des Jahrstages der Selbstbefreiung des KZ Buchenwald wollen die Jugendlichen deutlich machen, dass die Jugend Europas das Vermächtnis der überlebenden Häftlinge von Buchenwald aufnimmt und für die Zukunft bewahrt. Das ist das Ziel des Treffens.

Michel Vanderborght, Präsident der FIR lobte die große Unterstützung des Treffens durch die belgische Regierung. Sie übernahm die Kosten eines Sonderzuges mit etwa 500 Teilnehmenden von Brüssel nach Weimar. Ein Minister der belgischen Regierung wird persönlich an der Gedenkkundgebung teilnehmen und die Kranzniederlegung begleiten.

Nähere Informationen unter www.lagergemeinschaft-buchenwald.de

Dr. Ulrich Schneider,
Generalsekretär der FIR

Internationale Jugendbegegnung in Buchenwald – April 2008

28. Januar 2008

Am Sonntag, den 13. April 2008 werden sich mehr als 1000 Jugendliche aus ganz Europa am Monument von Buchenwald versammeln. Sie sagen gemeinsam “Nein” zu Faschismus und Rassismus, die unserem Europa gegenwärtig drohen.

Das ist der Kern eines großartigen Projekts, das seit fast einem Jahr vorbereitet, jetzt in die praktische Verwirklichung geht. Träger sind das belgische “Institut des Vétérans” und die Internationale Föderation der Widerstandskämpfer (FIR) – Bund der Antifaschisten. Unterstützt wird es durch das Internationale Komitee Buchenwald-Dora und Kommandos, die nationalen Lagergemeinschaften sowie die Vereinigung der Ver-folgten des Naziregimes –Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten (VVN-BdA).

Mit diesem Treffen wollen wir ein deutliches Signal setzen gegen Rassismus, Fremdenfeindlichkeit, extremen Nationalismus und für die Verteidigung von Demokratie und Freiheit. Die europäische Jugend übernimmt hiermit Verantwortung für die Bewahrung des Vermächtnisses der ehemaligen Häftlinge von Buchenwald.

Belgier, Bulgaren, Dänen, Franzosen, Griechen, Italiener, Niederländer, Russen, Spanier, Tschechen, Ungarn, und Jugendliche aus vielen andern europäischen Ländern werden teilnehmen. In Begegnungen mit deutschen Antifaschisten, im Gespräch mit ehemaligen Widerstandskämpfern und Überlebenden der Lager, im gemeinsamen Handeln mit Jugendlichen aus unserm Land wird Antifaschismus als internationales Netzwerk für Freiheit, Demokratie für soziale und politische Menschenrechte lebendig.

Wir laden Jugendliche, antifaschistische Jugendgruppen und Initiativen herzlich ein, an diesem Internationalen Jugendtreffen teilzunehmen.

Gemeinsam mit der Jugend Europas heißen unsere Losungen:

Nie wieder Faschismus! Nie wieder Krieg!

Die Vernichtung des Nazismus mit seinen Wurzeln ist unsere Losung, der Aufbau einer neuen Welt des Friedens und der Freiheit ist unser Ziel.

Die Initiatoren des Treffens laden antifaschistische Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene ein, an diesem Internationalen Jugendtreffen mitzuwirken und an den verschiedenen Aktivitäten und Begegnungen teilzunehmen.

Auf dem Programm stehen Besuche der Gedenkstätten Buchenwald und Dora, Gespräche mit Zeitzeugen, Jugendbegegnungen deutscher und internationaler Gäste in offiziellen und informellen Rahmen, Besuche von Weimar und Erfurt und natürlich die Teilnahme am Gedenken des Internationalen Komitees Buchenwald – Dora und Kommandos aus Anlass des Jahrestags der Selbstbefreiung.

Programmangebot: (geplant)

Die Teilnahme an diesem Treffen ist auch für einzelne Tage möglich.

Jugendgruppen, antifaschistische Initiativen und Einzelinteressierte, die teilnehmen wollen, melden sich bitte umgehend bei der FIR (siehe Impressum)
oder der Lagergemeinschaft Buchenwald – Dora/Freundeskreis
(Mail: lag-buchmuenster.org).

Übernachtungskapazitäten in den Thüringischen Jugendherbergen sind reserviert.

Die Kosten für die Teilnahme betragen pro Person und Tag (Vollverpflegung) 25 Euro.

Declaration of FIR to 65th Anniversary of the victory of Stalingrad

27. Januar 2008

On February 2, 2008 we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Red Army’s
victory of Stalingrad. On this day the German 6th Army under general field
marshal Paulus capitulates in front of the troops of the 62nd and 64th Red Army
under general Zhukow. The destroying balance for the German armed forces: Over
100.000 soldiers went into war shank, 165,000 left their life into this battle
for the fascist war goals.

The International Federation of the Resistance fighters (FIR) – Association
of Anti-fascists uses this date as an opportunity, in order to remind the
sacrifice of the Red Army and the soviet peoples to the Great Antifascist
Peoples’ Struggle during the 2nd World War and the large achievements of the
military part of the anti-Hitler coalition. The war plotted by German fascism
aimed from the outset at murder, homicide, exploitation, suppression and
destruction. Coventry, Rotterdam, Warsaw and Belgrade are the symbols of the
air terror, which carried the armed forces over the cities of Europe.
Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Majdanek, Sobibor have themselves in mind of mankind
entrenched as “monuments” of the Holocaust – a holocaust produced by
Nazi “Superior Race” theories against all peoples, regardless of
colour and race. Babi Jar, Oradour, Lidice: Places of the National Socialist
terror, which do not require any explanation. Stalingrad stands against it for
hope for liberation and the resistance against murderous German fascism.

This hope was paid with countless human lives. The Soviet side registered
approximately one million victims among the civilian population and the
fighters of the Red Army in this battle. We remind the dead ones and
commemorate all of those, which used themselves with their life and their
health for the liberation of its country from the fascist occupation and
smashing the fascist beast.

This battle of Stalingrad was not only of military importance. It
represented a historical turning point in the fight of the anti-Hitler
coalition with the expansionistic requirement of German fascism:

  • From a military-strategic point this defeat of the German troops was a
    turning point, because hereby for the first time the advance was stopped and
    the “unconquerable” Wehrmacht had to accept a destroying defeat.
  • For the development of the anti-Hitler coalition in this battle has been
    proven that the common efforts of all allied could defeat the murderous beast
    of fascism and its military apparatus. Red Army’s victory in Stalingrad and
    afterwards had strong signal effect for Great Britain and the USA to speed up
    the preparations for the opening of a second front. Stalingrad knows to be
    regarded therefore with joins and right as beginning of the end of the robbery
    and murder campaign of the Wehrmacht through half Europe.
  • For the resistance movement in all occupied countries and in Germany the
    battle of Stalingrad was the symbol for the coming defeat of fascism. The women
    and men in the resistance drew from it strength, motivation and optimism for the
    continuation of their anti-fascist fight in the political clearing-up work and
    in the armed Resistance.

In this sense is and remains the victory of Stalingrad an anniversary of the
International Federation of the Resistance fighters (FIR) – Association of
Anti-fascists. We connect our thanks to the fighters with the promise to pass
this memory on of the today’s generations.

The 14th regular congress of the FIR in Athens

29. Oktober 2007

On October 19 – 20, 2007 in Athens the 14th regular congress of the FIR took place. Round about 40 delegates from 15 nations were announced. Unfortunately the entry to Greece was refused to the veterans from Albania and the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia.

On this congress balance of the reconstruction of the FIR was drawn and advised over the future tasks. The most important fact in the balance was that we succeeded in the past three years with the opening of the organization for later born generations, to place the FIR as alive and active organization in the fight against neo-fascism, racism, anti-semitism and xenophobia – for peace and to form democracy and social rights. Despite small financial and personnel capacities an alive organization could be received and developed further. Up-to-date over 50 organizations and federations from 24 European countries and Israel belong to FIR. Thus the FIR is the largest international organization of former fighters against fascism, deported and pursuits of the Nazi regime and anti-fascist of today’s generations.

To the political balance it belonged also that it succeeded in the past years to make the voice of the FIR in the political concert audible. The statements on actual political problems, about “the danger of extreme rights in Europe” and to the peace problem were particularly heard and spread. The acceptance of the organization pointed itself in the large number of invitations to commemoration ceremonies, conferences of national member federations or to international conferences to these political topics. On the occasion of the congress the FIR committed also the 20-year anniversary of the appointment as an “Ambassador of the peace” of the United Nations.

In the ceremonial addresses the important role of the former resistance fighters, partisans, deported and pursuing organizations for the peace-movement was stressed. The representatives of the world peace council and the world league of democratic youth underlined in their political greeting words, which threat of the peace proceeds today from imperialistic main powers. The representative of the United Nations on the other side was content with a quite poor greeting formula.

The congress elected unanimously the leading committees of the organization. Michel Vanderborght was confirmed as president. As vice-presidents general Anatoli Bogdanow (Russia) and Vilmos Hanti (Hungary) were unanimously elected. The further members of the executive committee are Nikolai Chikachev (Russia), Christos Tzintsilonis (Greece), Heinz Siefritz (Germany, cashier) and Dr. Ulrich Schneider (Germany, Secretary-General).

For political adoption of resolutions altogether five explanations were present, which were accepted after alive debate. Also the next political activities were discussed. A first political high point of the further work is certain already: The international youth meeting on the Ettersberg in April 2008 on the occasion of the anniversary of the self liberation of the Concentration camp Buchenwald.

A detailed report and the documentation of the resolutions follow in the next expenditure of the FIR–bulletin.

Financial rules of FIR

20. Oktober 2007

Expanding the statute of FIR, the Congress decided on the following rules
for membership fees.

  1. Membership in FIR is also based upon an annual membership fee of the
    individual member organisation to be paid no later than June 30th of the
    current year. Membership fees provide for the operating expenses of FIR.

  2. The rate of the FIR membership fee is determined by the proper statute of
    the participating organisation and its financial leeway, and is normally
    determined by 0.50 Euros per year and member.

    Standard FIR membership fee is 300 Euros per year.

  3. The number of the delegates of the membership organisation to the
    congresses is determined by the amount of membership fees paid.

    Paying an annual membership fee of

    – at least the minimum of 150 Euros: 1 delegate,
    – more than 300 Euros: 2 delegates,
    – more than 1000 Euros: 3 delegates.

    Exceptions in individual cases may be applied for at the executive
    committee.

  4. Travel expenses of the delegates are being paid for by their proper
    organisation.

    Upon application the executive committee may decide within its
    financial leeway to support an individual member organisation for their
    delegate to participate in a congress.

  5. The statutory appropriation of the financial resources is verified
    annually in particular prior to the congresses, by a financial committee to be
    elected by the congress. Following each verification a report is submitted to
    the executive committee and the congress.

Protest against denials of visas for delegates

20. Oktober 2007

The XIV congress of FIR is shocked by the the denial of entry visas to veterans of the antifascist struggle from Albania and the former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to participate in the congress.

While politicians proclaim the “Europe without boarders” reality is no match. This is the false political signal.

We are fighting for a united Europe based upon the traditions of the struggles against fascism promoting social rights and liberty for all people living here.

Resolution regarding Cyprus

20. Oktober 2007

The 14th congress of the International Federation of the Resistance Fighters
(FIR) which took place in Athens October 19-20, 2007

  • Reemphasizes that the sole foundation for the preservation of peace and
    security worldwide is compliance with the principles of the United Nations
    Charter, the Declarations of Human Rights and the fundamental rights.
  • Deplores regional conflicts in conjunction with foreign interventions
    experienced by the international community which explicitly violate the
    aforementioned principles and which do not realise the decisions of the
    Security Council of the United Nations.
  • Calls upon the FIR member organisations to urge their respective governments
    to efficiently support efforts to overcome regional conflicts and continuing
    problems – among others problems in Cyprus – by implementation of the decisions
    of the United Nations Security Council for peaceful solutions based upon
    appreciation of international laws and the primacy of human rights and
    fundamental rights.
  • Requests the Secretary of the Executive Committee of FIR to urge the United
    Nations to exercise pressure on the respective opponents to accept United
    Nations decisions to be the only way towards a peaceful solution.
  • Worried by the persistence of the crisis over Cyprus endagering
    international security, and the circumstances that decisions of the United
    Nations regarding Cyprus have not yet been implemented, and by the lack of
    progress in past negotiations, keeping in mind the necessity to solve the
    Cyprus problems peacefully without any further delay, the Congress requests an
    urgent restart of efficient and substantial negotiations under the auspices of
    the United Nations and the European Union in order to achieve a basically
    acceptable agreement as soon as possible based upon the fundamental legal
    rights of all inhabitants.

Statement of FIR for the Members of the European Parliament

20. Oktober 2007

The international federation of the resistance fighters (FIR) – Association of Anti-fascists, the umbrella organisation of federations of former resistance fighters, partisans, members of the anti-Hitler coalition, persecutes of the Nazi-regime and anti-fascists of today’s generations from over twenty European countries and Israel, appeals from their XIV congress held in October 2007 in Athens to all democratic parliamentary parties of the European Parliament to create positive examples for their attitude against neo-fascism, racism, anti-semitism and xenophobia and to support all antifascist initiatives and proposals for action.

Over and above we call upon the European Parliament to create the legal foundation to discontinue to finance groups of the extreme right in the European Parliament with European tax payers money and to immediately suppress activities of these groups.

Political declaration of the congress

20. Oktober 2007

62 years after the military victory over fascism in Germany and in whole Europe we see a political ambivalent development.

There are positive tendencies

  • that political groups get more influence which stand for that conflicts not only inside Europe are increasingly solved by peaceful decisions,
  • that politically diversified peoples movements for democracy and freedom, against racism and neo-fascism are active,
  • that criticism at the antisocial consequences of globalisation is supported by wide groups in the society and found many styles of peaceful protest.

In addition we see on the other hand dangers,

that European governments orients on a “fortress Europe” instead of opening liberty for all citizens and try to strengthen their military position in the world.
We experience the increasing attempts of the US-administration to reach a military and political hegemonial position all over the world.
The problem of the Serbian province Kosovo and Metohia should be settled only by dialogue. A solution of the status must be adopted by the UN Security Council.
Not alone in Europe the regulations for liberalisation of economic relations should be more important than social rights of the people. Humans will be social excluded and thus put the fertile soil of extremely right populism and xenophobia.
Although the neo-liberal European “Constitution” failed because of the resistance of the people, conservative politicians – using totalitarism-doctrines and anti-communism – are trying to open the door on the political right side.
And the commemoration of the antifascist fight of people and armies is blamed in various countries of Europe. A visible indication of that tendency was the destruction of the memorial in the centre of the city Tallinn to commemorate the soviet liberators. In addition in other parts of Europe antifascist memorials are attacked physically or ideologically. Such attacks are reported from Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Ukraine and other countries. Antifascist memorials and places should be placed under protection of international law.
Real problems are Holocaust-denying and falsification of history of antifascist fight. Neo-fascist groups try to rehabilitate SS-murders and rewrite history. Some officials and governments doing also such rewriting because they call the SS “fighters for liberty” and criminalizing antifascist resistance fighters.

Such a Europe, such a world does not correspond to the goals, which we feel obligated in the tradition of anti-fascism.

“Creating a new world of peace and freedom” means for us

building up democratic and social justice conditions, where all people have sufficient supply and a real part of the richness of the society and the security of employability under social conditions and chances of social inclusion for all people living here – independently of nationality, sex and religion.
to commemorate the role of the people for liberation from fascism and give this knowledge to today’s generations. This includes the acceptance of the social rights of victims and fighters against fascism in various structures of the Anti-Hitler-Coalition.
the protection of all humans against racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia. All activities, groups and parties, supporting neo-fascist and racist positions, must be outlawed and banned.

Fundamentally it means also that military options in foreign policy are against the vital interests of all humans. FIR as “peace ambassador of the United Nations” occurs again and again for non-military conflict solutions. Particularly the aggravation of conflicts by the program of the US-administration for an anti-missile-system in Poland and the Czech Republic contradict all beginnings of a peaceful foreign policy in Europe.

In this sense we see – also 62 years after liberation from fascism and war – the necessity to fight for the complete destruction of Nazism at its roots and creation of a new world of peace and liberty.

“Gemeinsam Handeln für Frieden und gegenNeofaschismus”

23. September 2007

Internationale Föderation der Widerstandskämpfer
(FIR) bereitet Kongress vor

Was sind die Aufgaben der ehemaligen Widerstandskämpfer und heutiger Generationen im Kampf gegen Neofaschismus, für Frieden und Demokratie? Die Frage soll der 14. ordentliche Kongress der Internationalen Föderation der Widerstandskämpfer (FIR) – Bund der Antifaschisten Ende Oktober in Athen beantworten.

Am Samstag, dem 22. September 2007, tagte aus diesem Grund der Exekutivausschuss der FIR auf Einladung der POAO in Athen.

Auf der Konferenz wurde die organisatorische und politische Vorbereitung der Konferenz besprochen. In der lebendigen Debatte über die vorgeschlagene “Politische Erklärung” des Kongresses wurde unterstrichen, dass nicht allein die Probleme angesprochen werden dürfen, sondern auch die gesellschaftspolitischen Grundlagen der Gefahren für den Frieden, eine imperialistische Politik. Die Mitglieder des Exekutivausschusses aus Belgien, Deutschland, Griechenland, Russland und Ungarn trafen Entscheidungen über die Personalia und zur Gestaltung des Festaktes “20 Jahre – FIR Botschafter des Friedens der Vereinten Nationen”. Auf dem Kongress werden Delegationen aus etwa 20 europäischen Ländern und Israel erwartet. Sie werden aus verschiedenen Generationen stammen. Gleichzeitig wurden internationale Organisation der Zivilgesellschaft, die Fraktionen des Europäischen Parlaments und Vertreter der Vereinten Nationen eingeladen.

Am Ende seiner Sitzung diskutierte der Exekutivausschuss über das Internationale Jugendmeeting im Frühjahr 2008 in der KZ Gedenkstätte Buchenwald. Über 1000 Jugendliche aus ganz Europa werden zusammen mit den Veteranen und ehemaligen politischen Häftlingen des Lagers den Tag der Selbstbefreiung begehen.

Die Sitzung des Exekutivausschusses fand dank der Gastfreundschaft der griechischen Veteranenverbände in einer freundschaftlichen Atmosphäre statt. Michel Vanderborght, Präsident der FIR, danke der griechischen Mitgliedsorganisation für ihre gute Arbeit und stellte die Losung des 14. ordentlichen FIR-Kongresses vor: “Gemeinsam handeln für Frieden und gegen Neofaschismus”.

Dr. Ulrich Schneider
Generalsekretär

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