Three statements on the events in Austria during July, 1927: from the Communist International, the leadership of the Austrian C.P. from before and after the funeral of the barricade fighters. The working class of Vienna rose up on July 15, 1927 in a rebellion, Wiener Justizpalastbrand, against the police and the courts. A general strike was called against the acquittal of nationalists for the murder of two Social Democrats at a rally earlier that January. Beating back the police and erecting barricades, Vienna laid siege to, and then burned down, the Palace of Justice. As security forces fought to regain the city, hundreds were wounded and killed in street fighting and police massacres.

‘Red Vienna: The July Insurrection’ from International Press Correspondence. Vol. 7 No. 44. July 28, 1927.

The Vienna Barricades–Precursors of New Revolutionary Storms. Appeal of the Executive Committee of the Communist International.

Moscow, 19th July 1927. To the Working Class of All Countries! To the Workers of Austria!

Events of the greatest importance are taking place in the very heart of Europe. The workers of Vienna have risen in revolt. For four days the workers of Vienna and of the whole of Austria have been fighting heroically. General Strike, Insurrection, revolutionary mass struggle in Vienna and in Austria, in the centre of Europe! It sounds like a trumpet blast in the ears of the workers of the whole world and fills them with enthusiasm and admiration for their Austrian comrades. They know that the Austrian working class which has had more to suffer from the consequences of the war and the capitalist attempts at stabilisation than the workers of other countries, is fighting against the general economic and political offensive of Austrian capital allied with the imperialist robber powers. Spurred on by the imperialists, the Austrian bourgeoisie intends to abolish the eight hour day, social labour legislation, worsen the situation of the workers, destroy their organisations and set up a naked reactionary-fascist government.

Still greater misery, still greater humiliation, an existence of political slavery and fascism is threatening the Austrian working class. That is the reason for the revolutionary elan of the Austrian workers. That is what they are fighting against. The sudden outbreak of great revolutionary struggles in Austria is however, at the same time a symptom of the vacillation and uncertainty of capitalist “stabilisation” in the whole of Europe. It shows that at any moment great revolutionary struggles can develop, and it shows how the workers must carry on the struggle against the offensive of capital.

The Austrian workers must not stop half way in their struggle with fascism. The time has come for action, and for courageous and revolutionary action. Vacillation, half-measures and any avoidance of the struggle would be suicide. In 1920 the Italian proletariat was defeated because it did not go along the whole path from the commencement of the revolutionary insurrection to its final completion. The struggle must now be fought to a finish if Austria is not to fall a victim to fascism and the imperialist powers.

The Austrian social democracy, the alleged “left-wing”, the pride of the Second International has shown its complete bankruptcy, its full treachery. For years it has held back the Austrian proletariat from any serious action, from any really effective struggle against reaction. For years it has pursued a policy of close co-operation with the bourgeoisie and the left-wing phrases were only used to cover this policy and to keep the support of the workers. It has always consoled the workers with the thought of the coming 51% of the votes which they were to win in order to realise socialism by peaceful means. It has already won 47% of these votes and in Vienna even the great majority of the total votes. It has always represented its municipal policy in Vienna as a socialist oasis in a capitalist desert. And what has been the result of all this? The Social democrats have 47% of the total votes behind them, but fascists may still murder workers with impunity and violate the elementary rights of the workers. The capitalists are robbing the workers of their last achievements. The social democrats have a majority of the votes in Vienna and control the municipal council, but the police can still mow down hundreds of unarmed workers with machine guns.

The social democracy has made Austria a shining example of democracy, but the white terror can take on the sharpest forms there. The Social Democratic Party formed an army, but this army is now being used against the workers. The Social Democratic Party itself disarmed the workers and handed over the arsenals to the bourgeoisie. Now the fascists and the reactionary police have turned these weapons against the workers.

The reformist policy of the Social Democratic Party could not prevent the masses from action. The masses have acted, and when it came to a fight, they fought despite the leaders of the S.D.P., and they fought in a revolutionary manner.

And now, when the masses are fighting with revolutionary energy for their vital interests, the S.D.P. is doing nothing but concentrating its whole attention upon throttling the revolutionary struggle as speedily and as thoroughly as possible. Austro-Marxism has shown itself in its real character. Put to the test, the “left-wingers” of the “revolutionary” Austrian Social Democratic Party have shown that they are not behind. Noske and Scheidemann. The formation of a special “municipal police” for Vienna by the social democrats from amongst the reliable members of the Republican Defence Force for the purpose of maintaining order in co-operation with the State police against the workers, shows up the real role of Austrian social democracy like a flash of lightning, shows with all clearness where the “left” road followed by Otto Bauer and Co. is leading. The bankruptcy and the treachery of Austro-Marxism must be exposed to the workers of the whole world and must be sharply stigmatised.

Comrades, Workers! Expose the treachery of the Austrian social democracy! Refuse to follow their compromising, treacherous directions! Prevent the parliamentary bargaining of the social democratic leaders who are anxious for a coalition government! Refuse to break off the strike and the struggle before you have achieved your aims! In this decisive moment of the struggle between the working class and the fascist bourgeoisie, whoever gives way and shows himself the weaker, is lost.

Continue to disarm the fascists and the police; form workers councils in Vienna and in the whole country; Mobilise the masses and lead them into the struggle! Fight for a workers and peasants’ government!

A furious campaign has commenced against the communists. Hundreds of workers, the majority of them communists have been arrested. The secretariat of the Communist Party and of the Young Communist League have been occupied by the police. The whole mass struggle is now supposed to have been due to the “hand of Moscow”. And that in a country where the Social Democratic Party has hundreds of thousands of members, that in a so-called democratic paradise! It is true, the communists were and still are in the front ranks of the struggle. But they are fighting side by side with the masses and not against them, like the Social Democratic Party.

The masses are now fighting for the revolutionary slogans of the Communist Party and not for the bankrupt policy of the reformist Social Democratic Party. The Communist Party of Austria has done its revolutionary duty. Therefore it is the object of the full hatred of the social democratic leaders and the bourgeois government. Therefore, however, the whole international proletariat and the Austrian proletariat above all, must show complete solidarity with the Communist Party, and the Austrian workers must follow its leadership.

The reactionary Seipel government which is nothing but an instrument in the hands of the imperialist powers, is determined to fight to the end. The fallen victims are not sufficient, new reactionary troops are being brought in from the provinces, the state of emergency is declared and the workers are threatened with the intervention of foreign troops. This reactionary government must be overthrown. The troops which are being used against the workers must go over to their side and fight side by side with them.

No foreign soldier may set foot upon Austrian territory to overthrow the Austrian working class. Fearing for its purse, the “national” bourgeoisie is prepared to hand over its “Fatherland” to monarchist Hungary, fascist Italy, Czechoslovakia and the imperialist powers, in order to crush the working class movement in blood. That must not be! The working class of the neighbouring States must fight with all the means at their disposal against the interventionist plans of their governments. The workers of Germany, of Czechoslovakia, of Italy etc. must use all means to show revolutionary solidarity with the Austrian working class. Thus they will be fighting for their own vital interests, for the Austrian workers are to be crushed in order to make the attack upon the workers of the other countries more easy, and in order to make Austria a willing instrument in the war plans of the imperialists against the Soviet Union.

The Communist International sends its warmest revolutionary greetings to the workers of Vienna and of Austria in general. The workers of Austria and of Vienna must know that in this difficult hour they are sure of the fraternal support of the workers of all other countries.

No matter how hard the social democrats may try to throttle the Austrian revolt, the struggle is being continued. The July storm over Austria has opened up new ways for the workers of Austria and will be followed by still greater revolutionary storms. The barricades in Vienna are a symbol of revolutionary resistance on the part of the working class. They show that the working class will fight for its interests, for the proletarian revolution.

Workers, working and peasant youth, soldiers! Fight on to victory! Help the Austrian proletariat! Down with social democratic treachery! Fight to death against fascist reaction! Arm yourselves! Form workers councils in Austria! Down with the Seipel government! Long live the workers’ and peasants’ government! Long live the victory of Red Vienna! Long live the victory of the Austrian working class!

Manifesto of the C.C. of the C.P. of Austria on the Occasion of the Burial of the Victims.

The Austrian working class, and with it the world proletariat, mourns to-day at the open graves of the murdered working men and women. With warm love for the victims of the bourgeois murder regime, with passionate hatred against the blood-stained bourgeoisie and with clenched fists, the Austrian working class pledges itself to preserve the memory of its murdered brothers and sisters and to expiate the mass murder.

The Vienna proletariat collided with elementary force with the bourgeois State apparatus. It was the unbridgeable class antagonism, the deadly hostility between proletariat and bourgeoisie, the blood witnesses of which are our murdered class comrades who are being buried to-day. The bourgeoisie knows no sentimentality; its murderous hatred against the insurgent working people knows no limits. Its armed force is the terrible axe which it has caused to fall upon the neck of the Vienna proletariat.

Social-democratic, Communist and non-Party working men and women have been murdered by the blood-thirsty bourgeoisie. It was a slaughter which made no distinction and showed neither scruple nor pity. The guardians of the bourgeois order of society have commenced with deadly hatred the campaign of extermination against the insurgent proletariat.

Without weapon and without sufficient clearness regarding the inexorable compulsion of History, the Vienna workers were delivered over to their deadly enemy. That is why they were crushed; that is why the July insurrection was drowned in a sea of blood. The proletariat can be victorious in the class struggle only when it recognises with inflexible tenacity, with clear determination that the victory is with that side which employs the most power in the fight.

Indescribable grief has seized the working class of the whole world. This grief is not weak and helpless. From this grief there will spring up a great power which will bring punishment and retribution. Already to-day, in the midst of the tears and sobs of the mourners, from all the indescribable desolation and misery of those who are left behind, the Austrian proletariat is drawing the lessons; after its bloody defeat it is forming its ranks for fresh struggles.

The murderous volleys of 15th and 16th July which mowed down our brothers and sisters have been a terrible awakening for the working class of Austria from out its dream of peaceful democracy. Democracy? That means volleys against the working class, it means ruthless terror, it means a campaign of annihilation against the unarmed proletarians.

The illusion of a peaceful way to socialism has been completely riddled. The bourgeoisie replies to a peaceful demonstration by murdering one hundred and fifty working men and women; it would reply to the desire for a peaceful seizure of power by the proletariat with a thousandfold merciless repressions. In the conflict between the classes the decisive factor is power; and power that means weapons!

The way which the overwhelming majority of the Austrian proletariat has followed hitherto is now barred by one hundred and fifty corpses. At the graves of the murdered it is necessary to change the direction.

Ten years ago the workers of Russia rose. They set up a revolutionary leadership; they seized weapons; they proceeded straight ahead, regardless of danger and, suffering up to the magnificent victory over the bourgeoisie. If the Russian proletariat had shown weakness, sentimentality, timidity then the Russian Revolution would have been crushed, choked in a sea of blood!

At the graves of the murdered victims we wish to take the unshakable resolve to follow the path taken by the Russian workers, the revolutionary way, the way of victory. The expiation for all the workers’ blood which has been shed, will be the seizure of power by the Austrian proletariat. The expiation will be the great abandonment of the dreamy belief in democracy, and the organising of the coming powerful upheaval

The Vienna workers did not stand alone in the fight. Little Austria has become the heart of the world proletariat; and its fierce pulse in the past few days summoned the revolutionary workers of the whole world to the fight. In the Soviet Union, in Germany, Czechoslovakia everywhere where revolutionary workers live and struggle, everywhere preparations were made to aid the proletariat of Austria. The working class of the whole world is ready along with the Austrian working class!

The power of the Austrian proletariat did not achieve victory this time, as it had no revolutionary leadership. At the graves before which the working people of Austria stand in indescribable anguish, a victorious bourgeoisie triumphs with fiendish joy. But it is not the last fight; the defeat is not a final defeat. The dead brothers and sisters remind us that if the proletariat wishes to live it must overcome its class enemy. The proletariat, which is awakening to the consciousness of its task, pledges the murdered comrades to forge the weapons of victory with revolutionary clearness. We swear to expiate the mass murder by preparing the victorious revolution, by the setting up of the proletarian rule in Austria. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Austria.

The Funeral of the Fallen Barricade Fighters.

Vienna, 20th July 1927. To-day at 2 p.m. a part of those killed in the street fighting were solemnly buried. The assembled were confined to deputations from the factories, from the Communist and Social Democratic Parties and from the trades unions. Approximately two to three thousand persons took part in the funeral. In all factories without exception a pause of fifteen minutes was observed. The Simmering street leading to the cemetery was draped with black flags.

The mourning ceremony was held in the great square in front of the main entrance to the Central Cemetery. The first speaker was the Town Councilor Speiser who spoke in the name of the social democratic Mayor of Vienna. The second speaker was Ellenbogen, the representative of the Social Democratic Party of Austria.

Comrade Koplenig then delivered the following speech in the name of the Communist Party of Austria:

“The Austrian working class and with it the working class of the whole world stands at the grave-side of the victims of the July revolt. They are witnesses to the irreconcilable contradiction and the bitter hatred between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. There is no democracy, there is either the dictatorship of the proletariat or the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. The healthy proletarian instincts of the working class have long recognised this.

“The acquittal of the Schattendorf murderers gave in fact carte blanche to all fascist murderers. It showed the masses the reactionary character of this democracy. The heroic struggle of the Vienna workers against the power of the government was a revolt against the attacks of the fascist reaction. The Communist Party stands without reservation to the 15th and 16th July. It declares itself in complete solidarity with the workers who fought in the street against the murderous power of the State. We feel passionate sympathy with the relatives of the dead workers and promise them all possible assistance. We demand that the State grants sufficient means to support the relatives of the killed workers and to support the wounded. The struggle of the workers in Vienna ended in defeat. The bourgeoisie is triumphant. It will complete our defeat unless we draw the correct conclusions from the struggle. The open graves of the dead workers are an urgent warning to the Austrian working class, a warning and a lesson at the same time. The collisions between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie will be determined by force.

“A revolutionary leadership and weapons in the hands of the workers is needed. Give us a revolutionary leadership! Our comrades died with this cry on their lips. That was their last will.

“We communists do not want more bloodshed, we want less. Therefore we demand the arming of the workers. The Austrian working class will not be defeated if it draws the correct conclusions from this struggle and alters its policy. The bourgeoisie of the whole world is now trying, and not for nothing, to use the events in Vienna in a campaign against the Soviet Union, the land of the proletarian revolution. The lessons of the 15th and 16th July mean nothing more nor less than a new revolutionary struggle against fascism, reaction and the danger of war. In this struggle there is only one way for the working class the way of the Russian revolution, preparation for an armed insurrection and for the proletarian revolution! Our sorrow is not weak and powerless. A great power will arise from our sorrow and take vengeance for the murder of our comrades. This power is the capacity to see clearly and to prepare new weapons for the struggle. The Communist Party accepts the heritage of the July revolt. We swear to revenge this mass murder by the preparation of the revolution and by the establishment of the proletarian dictatorship in Austria!”

It had been agreed that only three speakers should deliver speeches, two social democrats and one communist. During the speech of the communist however, considerable unrest made itself felt from amongst the ranks of the social democratic leaders and councilors. After the speech of the communist therefore, the social democrats broke the agreement and the secretary of the Second International, Friedrich Adler commenced to speak, and replied with a concealed, anti-communist speech. He declared that politics should be barred from the graveside of the July victims (!) and that instead one should try to understand the sorrow of the relatives of the deceased. The tragic events of the 15th and 16th July must not be utilised to make political capital for any party. The revolt had, it was true, originated from revolutionary motives, but the events of the 15th and 16th revealed a glaring contradiction between the will to revolution and the possibilities of revolution. At the present moment a seizure of power was impossible on account of the international and internal economic and political situation. Only irresponsible persons could wish to overthrow the power of the State.

A portion of the dead were buried and the others cremated. The dead have each a separate headstone and an obelisk will be erected later at the cost of the Vienna Municipal Council. The final numbers of the dead have not yet been announced. It is rising gradually, as many workers are still at death’s door.

International Press Correspondence, widely known as”Inprecorr” was published by the Executive Committee of the Communist International (ECCI) regularly in German and English, occasionally in many other languages, beginning in 1921 and lasting in English until 1938. Inprecorr’s role was to supply translated articles to the English-speaking press of the International from the Comintern’s different sections, as well as news and statements from the ECCI. Many ‘Daily Worker’ and ‘Communist’ articles originated in Inprecorr, and it also published articles by American comrades for use in other countries. It was published at least weekly, and often thrice weekly.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/inprecor/1927/v07n44-jul-28-1927-inprecor-op.pdf