The German section of International Red Aid, Rote Hilfe, opens a home for orphans of the class war in the town of Elgersburg.
‘First Home to Care for Children of Slain Workers is Opened’ from The Daily Worker. Vol. 2 No. 114. May 25, 1925.
“MOPR”, FIRST HOME OF RED AID TO CARE FOR CHILDREN OF SLAIN WORKERS, IS OPENED IN GERMANY
On Easter Sunday the first workers children’s home of the International Red Aid was opened in Elgersburg (Thuringia) with enthusiastic participation of the workers of the district.
It is the greatest crime of the ruling classes that they leave the families of the political prisoners to their misery. The class conscious workers are murdered or imprisoned for years and nobody cares for the fate of their wives and children. On the contrary, the executors of white terror declare cynically that also the progeny of the revolution must be annihilated.
“MOPR”, First Home of Red Aid
In Esthonia together with the class fighters their families are murdered. Only the children under 10 years are saved. In Bulgaria and Hungary and Jugoslavia the same brutalities take place. But even in those countries where the lives of the families are not attacked, they are left to hunger and need. Innumerable orphans populate Finland, Esthonia and the other Baltic states. In all capitalist states the families of the political prisoners depend upon the charity of their class comrades. It is therefore in agreement with an urgent need that the IRA takes care of the growing generation of the class conscious workers and attempts to accommodate them in children’s homes.
Hold 35 Children
For two years the Red Aid of Germany has conducted children’s home in Worpsede near Bremen. A great number of children of German revolutionaries have passed several weeks in this home. Despite all attacks by the authorities and reaction this children’s home has healed many wounds and protected the children against terrible misery.
With regard to the misery of the children of the political victims in Poland and the Balkans the idea arose to establish in Germany an international children’s home for children of other countries. With the assistance of the workers of Thuringia the house in Elgersburg was found and bought by the Quleta society which rented the house to the IRA. After the buildings were renovated, there are now a number of light and well aired sleeping rooms for 35 children, rooms for the employees, kitchen, bath, etc. and two side buildings. A great garden offers to the children an opportunity to play in the open air. The building is situated amidst the forest.
Reaction attempted to prevent the establishment of the children’s home. In the municipal council of Elgersburg the reactionary elements made an attack which was crushed by the community majority. Then the district inspector prohibited the opening of the children’s home and the intended celebration. As the reason he mentioned a regulation with regard to housing.
The prohibition caused a great excitement among the workers. In a few hours more than 1100 signatures were collected for a protest. A commission under the leadership of the mayor of Elgersburg was sent to the Ministry of Interior of Thuringia and on Easter Sunday in the forenoon the confiscation of the building was finally cancelled.
On account of passport difficulties foreign children could not yet be sent to the home, so German children were accommodated in it. The inhabitants of Elgersburg received the children with great enthusiasm. On the station green garlands were fastened with a sign “Long Live International Class Solidarity!”
Workers Support Home
The population of the surroundings has activity participated in the equipment of the home. Every child received a Russian blouse. The workers of the china factory provided the china, other workers provided pictures, vases, glasses, and for every child a red tie, and many other things.
Although the prohibition of the district inspector had led to a public announcement that the celebration would not take place, because our comrades wanted to protect the children against possible violence on the part of the police, more than 2000 workers participated in the celebration.
They wanted to welcome the children of their class comrades. On the market square in Elgersburg the representative of the International Red Aid made an inspiring speech and pointed out the significance of the children’s home as an expression of practical solidarity. Then the chairman of the German Red Aid, Comrade Wilhelm Pieck spoke. He appreciated the political significance of the demonstration, described the political situation and appealed to the audience to continue their fight for final victory.
The announcement of the abolition of the prohibition was welcomed with enthusiasm. Workers’ singing clubs gave the demonstration a solemn character. Then a procession was formed to the children’s home. The children stood before the building awaiting the workers. Then the representative of the International Red Aid gave the home to the protection of the workers of Thuringia.
The representative of the workers of Elgersburg made a speech in which he affirmed that they would defend the children’s home to the last and see to it that none of the children would over suffer any Injustice. After the mass chorus of the International the impressive demonstration came to an end.
With the opening of this first German children’s home of the IRA a monument of international solidarity has been establish which will be a shining example.
The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924. National and City (New York and environs) editions exist.
PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1925/1925-ny/v02b-n114-not-n113-NYE-may-25-1925-DW-LOC.pdf
