Austrian Communists
The Communist Party of Austria (German: Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, or KPÖ) is a communist party based in Austria. Established in 1918, it was banned between 1933 and 1945 under both the Austrofascist regime, and German control of Austria during World War II. It played an important role in the Austrian resistance against the Nazis and fascism.
The party publishes a newspaper called Volksstimmen (previously Volksstimme) and stands in elections, however, it has not had representation in the federal parliament since 1959. After losing its last representative in a state parliament, in Styria in 1970, it has become a fringe movement with limited political significance. At the National Council elections held on November 22, 2002, it won only 0.56% of the votes (27,568 out of a total of 4,909,645), well below the 4% minimum to obtain seats in the National Council. However, it received an exceptional 20% of the vote in the 2003 Graz local elections, retaining this stronghold in 2012, and in 2005 it returned to its first state parliament in 35 years after winning 6.3% of the vote in Styria.
It is part of the New European Left Forum (NELF) and the Party of the European Left.
Read more about Austrian Communists: Establishment, First Republic and National Socialism, Second Republic, October Strike 1950, Weaknesses and Crises, After The Fall of Socialist Bloc, KPÖ Graz and Styria, Recent Elections, Party Chairpersons Since 1945, Literature
Famous quotes containing the words austrian and/or communists:
“The war shook down the Tsardom, an unspeakable abomination, and made an end of the new German Empire and the old Apostolic Austrian one. It ... gave votes and seats in Parliament to women.... But if society can be reformed only by the accidental results of horrible catastrophes ... what hope is there for mankind in them? The war was a horror and everybody is the worse for it.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“The believing mind reaches its perihelion in the so-called Liberals. They believe in each and every quack who sets up his booth in the fairgrounds, including the Communists. The Communists have some talents too, but they always fall short of believing in the Liberals.”
—H.L. (Henry Lewis)