We celebrate the 70th anniversary of FIR

1. Juli 2021

From June 30 to July 3, 1951 in Vienna took place the International peace congress of the resistance movement. This was the birthday of the International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR), the umbrella organization of veterans of the antifascist fight, deported ones and victims of Nazi-persecution from all parts of Europe. Since seventy years Internationalism was and is the answer to the nationalistic and chauvinistic ideology of the respective fascist rule. Moreover, fascist ideology and politics, racism and imperialist expansionism were and are a direct threat to all peoples. They could and can be fought only in the common struggle of all countries and peoples threatened by these regimes. Nor do we forget that fascist barbarism could only be defeated through the common struggle of peoples and especially of the armies of the anti-Hitler coalition.

The women and men of resistance and persecution wanted to support the process of democratic reorganization with a political voice throughout Europe. To this end, immediately after liberation, representatives of organizations of political prisoners and resistance fighters from 17 European countries from East and West came together to found FIAPP (Fédération Internationale des Anciens Prisonniers Politiques, International Federation of Former Political Prisoners) in Warsaw in February 1946. In 1948, the anti-fascists from Germany and Austria were also admitted to this community.

The Cold War did not leave the FIAPP unscathed. Instead of promoting the unity of the resistance fighters, a drifting apart of the political forces of anti-fascism threatened. Therefore, in the early 1950s, a new approach was made to bring together the different positions and organizations of former resistance fighters and deportees in the interest of the political effectiveness of the voice of resistance fighters throughout Europe, because the euphoria of departure of the anti-fascist new beginning had been dissipated by the reality of increasing restoration and remilitarization, East-West tension and increasing danger of war. At the end of June 1951, the survivors’ associations invited to an international peace conference in Vienna.

In this situation – as Oskar Wiesflecker, longtime secretary general of the FIR described it – he people, who had actively participated in the anti-fascist resistance and national liberation struggle against the Nazi and fascist aggressors and occupiers and had taken suffering and persecution upon themselves, recognized, that the unification of the European resistance fighters was an imperative to oppose the rebirth of Nazi fascism, to watch over the democratic freedoms that had been regained, to defend the values of the, resistance movement and to strengthen those principles that were the basis of the foundation of the United Nations Organization. This was the spirit from which the FIR was born and to which it has maintained its unbreakable loyalty to this day.

With the foundation of the organization in the summer of 1951 in Vienna, the “International Federation of Resistance Fighters” (FIR) took over the task to represent the political ideas and visions of the resistance fighters “Never again fascism! Never again war!” to represent. It represented the victims of fascism in their social and medical claims and it worked for the commemoration of the resistance struggle and the illegal resistance groups in many countries.

There is not the space here to list all the fields of political action in the past decades. This included the dissemination of knowledge about the history of the resistance struggle, which was attempted with various history conferences and several resistance movement booklets, as well as educational consultations with scientists, teachers and university lecturers. This included the struggle for peace and détente, as well as advocacy for arms limitation and disarmament initiatives not only in Europe but also in the Middle East. This included political solidarity against the persecution of anti-fascist associations and their members, which was successful in the support of the German VVN against its banning trial in 1962, and was reflected in international solidarity actions for persecuted Greek anti-fascists or against occupational bans in the FRG. This included the broad mobilization against historical revisionists from the former SS associations, who contributed to the rehabilitation of the Nazi regime with tradition meetings.

Since 2004, the organization carries the name “International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) – Federation of Anti-Fascists”. Today the FIR has member organizations in more than 25 European countries, Israel and Latin America. The political circumstances have changed, but the central task is fixed in the slogan “Never again!”.

This means the preservation of the historical truth about the resistance struggle, about the reality of fascism and the role of the anti-Hitler coalition, the Allied forces – among them the Soviet soldiers who bore the brunt of the war – in the crushing of fascist barbarism.

The FIR and its member federations act as an international network locally and on European level against racism, anti-Semitism, anti-gypsyism, xenophobia, neo-fascism, nationalism and right-wing populism. They support groups and networks that oppose such developments.

The FIR as “Ambassadors of Peace” of the United Nations has in recent decades repeatedly advocated non-military solutions to conflicts in the world. It acts both against causes of war and against war-mongers, who want to enforce their imperialistic goals, their need for raw materials and their geopolitical interests, and military alliances, which regard themselves as “world police”.

The strength of the FIR is its commonality, which arises despite different political orientations, social visions or religious values. Every way to anti-fascism is welcome in the FIR. This unity must be renewed repeatedly, especially now that the generation of survivors is leaving us. All member federations are called to open their structure for today’s generations. All member federations are challenged to share the ideals of the anti-fascist heritage with the generations of today, who bring their own issues and perspectives to the political debates.

Based on the common ground of the struggle against fascism, the associations of FIR preserve the legacy of the survivors and continue to stand up for peace, political and social human rights and democracy, “a new world of peace and freedom” in the next decade.

The FIR member federations remembered the invasion of the Soviet Union

23. Juni 2021

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The FIR and its member federations used the 80th anniversary of the Hitler fascist invasion of the Soviet Union for various commemorative events. 

Despite all restrictions caused by the pandemic, public honors took place of course in the states of the former Soviet Union. Together with the Belorussian veteran federation, several hundred people gathered on June 22 in the early morning hours in Brest at the memorial place, in order to honor the defenders of this “hero fortress”. Of course, wreath-laying ceremonies and public commemorations took place in Russia and in Ukraine.

Also in many other countries antifascist and veteran associations commemorated this event publicly. Together with the FIR, the Italian partisan federation ANPI organized an international historical conference by video, on which Italian, Russian and German historians classified the invasion. FIR president Vilmos Hanti opened the conference with a political greeting and ANPI President Gianfranco Pagliarulo formulated at the end political consequences for the anti-fascist work today. The conference can be followed as a livestream on the Facebook page of ANPI. The presentation of the FIR Secretary General can be requested by e-mail (office@fir.at).

From Greece, Spain, France and further countries likewise reports of commemorative meetings of FIR federations are present.

In Germany, anti-fascist forces organized in these days in more than 50 cities public commemoration meetings, partly with wreath laying at graves of Soviet soldiers or prisoners of war and other symbolic actions.

Even by a Turkish newspaper, the Secretary General was asked in an extensive interview to the commemoration of the 80th anniversary and could report on the work of the FIR.

80th anniversary of the attack of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany

22. Juni 2021

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Message of Vilmos Hanti, President of FIR, to the ANPI conference of June 22,2021

In my capacity as President of the Fédération Internationale des Résistants, I welcome with great respect the organizers and participants of this conference convened on the occasion  of the 80th anniversary of the attack of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany.

I also wish the express my recognition to ANPI, one of the largest member federations of FIR, for having found, together with its cooperating partners, in times of the world pandemia, the right format to mark in a scientific framework  this event which became a turning point in the history of the Second World War.

We know that this war, the most brutal conflict in the history of mankind, started on September 1, 1939  with Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland. We also know that wars are always preceded by  worrying, ominous, threatening situations. In this case, Europe could witness the Nazi dictator, Hitler’s intentions, aspirations to change our societies, to elevate to power only  the Aryan race of a „clean origin”, to create a war-like mentality in all walks of life and to dominate the world by territorial conquest and occupation as well as by the spread of Nazi ideology of hate, exclusion, segregation and murder. These circumstances have ignited the antifascist resistance all accross Europe already in the 1930’s. 

We are also aware of the fact that prior to the German attack against the USSR, countries were trying to deal with Hitler in various ways. They seemed dubious about his real intentions and his capacities, they either signed agreements or concluded alliances with him, not realizing the threat he represented or trying to limit the damage of what he incarnated. The attack in 1941 on the Soviet Union was a sour awakening not only for the USSR, but also for the whole world, to see how dangerous and unpredictable this policy for world domination conducted by the Nazi regime and its satellites was for all of us, and how their propaganda machines managed to mislead and poison the minds of millions of people.

At this conference today, you will be hearing excellent speakers who will present to you in detail the circumstances of the events that took place 80 years ago. In this welcoming address, having in mind our present time, charged as it is with a great number a heavy and crucial challenges,  I wish to draw your attention specifically to the fact that if we look around, we can see that today various forms of fascism are raising their ugly heads more forcefully, not only in some marginalized groups of society, but gaining positions in our countries at local and higher levels.

At this conference, we have to draw the lessons of the past, which still have their relevance for today. Racism is the anti-chambre of fascism. And we are witnessing hate speech, the undermining of the rights of various minorities making their way into our everydays, often at State level.

We, antifascists, we must stand up against these developments! In this on-going combat, I wish you a succesful conference, good health and a commitment to move on with confidence!

Immediate end to the spiral of violence in the Middle East

14. Mai 2021

Once again, we have to witness that in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict violence as a means of conflict primarily affects the civilian population. The clashes began many days ago with the attempt to enforce the settlement policy, which has been unequivocally condemned by the United Nations, and which amounts to the expulsion of the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem. Claiming “Jewish property rights” that existed in the area 70 years ago, nationalist settlers seek to evict Palestinian residents. Protests against forced evictions and restrictions on visiting Islamic places of worship have been met with reprisals by the Israeli government. After the Israeli military and other security forces pushed escalation in East Jerusalem over several days, with several hundred injured on the Palestinian side, Hamas began firing rockets at Israeli towns. This in turn led to massive bombardment of Gaza by Israeli air forces, destroying civilian infrastructure and other positions. Neither military action can solve the problem. We appeal for immediate political talks to end the threat to civilians.

It is evident that the Netanyahu government has allowed this confrontation to escalate – and on the backs of Israeli and Palestinian civilians. The fact that Netanyahu is primarily concerned with his own political survival makes his behavior all the more reprehensible. After he was unable to achieve his own governing majority in parliament despite several new elections, he wants to use the escalation of the military situation – as the historian Moshe Zimmermann clearly analyzed it – to prevent his political opponents, who include Arab Israelis, from forming a political coalition. At the same time, he uses the escalation to pressure the Biden administration to position itself – in line with previous Trump policies – in favor of the concept of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, which would permanently prevent a political solution with the Palestinian side.

This has created an explosive situation in the Middle East that can only be stopped through political talks. For one thing is clear. With these escalations, there will be no peaceful solution to the conflict – observers are worried about a third intifada, which would once again claim many hundreds of victims among all the people living in the Middle East.

The FIR as “Ambassador of Peace of the United Nations” calls for de-escalation – supported by the United Nations. Hamas must immediately stop rocket attacks on Israeli cities. The Israeli army must immediately stop attacks on Gaza. In addition, the political allies must make it clear to the Israeli government that they are not prepared to support a military escalation, but are committed to political steps towards a solution.

Greeting of the FIR to all events on the day of liberation, the day of victory and the commemorative actions “immortal regiment” 2021

22. April 2021

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The International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) – Association of Anti-Fascists greets all participants of the celebrations of Liberation Day, Victory Day and the commemorative actions “immortal regiment”.

May 8 / 9, 1945 is and remains for anti-fascists in all parts of the world the “dawn of human history” (Peter Gingold). In many places of the world, this day is celebrated with dignity. The memory of the victims of fascist barbarism and the fighters against fascism is a permanent obligation for all of us.

Thus, we oppose all frightening attempts to falsify history, the rehabilitation of SS criminals as “national heroes” as in the Baltic States, the destruction of memorials to the liberators in public spaces as in Poland or the glorification of fascist collaborators such as General Lukov in Bulgaria, Horthy in Hungary or Bandera in Ukraine.

With our joint commemorative work we pay tribute to the people, family members, friends and relatives, political companions and personalities of all countries who gave their lives as partisans, resistance fighters and in the ranks of the units of the anti-Hitler coalition for the freedom of their homeland and the military dismantling of the fascist military machine.

We appeal to all: preserve the memory of the millions of victims of fascism and war, of the victims of mass extermination of Jews, Slavs, Sinti and Roma. Preserve the tradition, the memory and the mission of the anti-fascist resistance. We stand up for a world in which racism, barbarity, nationalism and intolerance have no place. Pass on the lessons of history so that they are never forgotten, so that such evil never happens again.

This year the International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) – Association of Anti-Fascists celebrates its 70th anniversary. We must face the reality that in a very short time no time witnesses of the anti-fascist struggle will be alive. Nevertheless, their legacy must be passed on, because their tasks are still to be solved. Therefore, we call the today’s generations: join the community of antifascist and veterans associations.

Günter Pappenheim, member of the honorary presidency of the FIR, deceased (1925-2021)

31. März 2021

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With great sadness, we heard today that Günter Pappenheim, survivor of Buchenwald concentration camp, first vice-president of the International Committee Buchenwald-Dora and Commandos, chairman of the camp working group Buchenwald-Dora and member of the honorary presidency of the FIR has died at the age of 95.

As a young man, he was arrested and deported to Buchenwald concentration camp. His “crime”: He secretly played the Marseilles on a accordion for French forced laborers.

On April 19, 1945, he and his comrades spoke the “Oath of Buchenwald,” which was his political guideline throughout his life: “Destruction of Nazism with its roots, creation of a new world of peace and freedom.”

After the camp’s self-liberation, he worked hard for an anti-fascist-democratic new beginning in the SBZ and later the GDR. Even after the end of the GDR, he remained true to his anti-fascist convictions. Günter Pappenheim’s voice was heard, his statements on the memory of the common struggle of the Buchenwald prisoners carried weight in the public debate. He demonstrated this very clearly once again a year ago – even under the conditions of the Corona situation – on the 75th anniversary of the self-liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp on April 11, 1945. 

Honored, he was first abroad. The FIR appointed him a member of the honorary presidency. The French state appointed him a Knight of the Legion of Honor. Only in the last years, he experienced this recognition also in the FRG. He received the Order of Merit of the State of Thuringia and in the last year of his life, he became an honorary citizen of the city of Weimar.

His voice will be missed in preserving the legacy of the survivors. And of course we miss him as a person with his kindness, his sympathy and attention, his hints and advice.

We express our deepest sympathy to his comrades, his political companions and especially to his wife Margot Pappenheim. He remains unforgotten.

Since 100 years: 8 March as International Women’s Day

7. März 2021

Since the II International Conference of Communist Women in 1921, 8 March has been celebrated as an International Day of Action for Equal Rights for Women. As early as 1910, at the suggestion of Clara Zetkin, the International Women’s Congress in Stuttgart had decided on an annual day of agitation for women’s suffrage. This was realized in numerous countries with the October Revolution in Russia and the November Revolution in Germany. In commemoration of the strike of the Petrograd women in 1917, the prelude of the February revolution, the international women’s day was fixed in 1921 now on 8 March.

The FIR and its member federations take this date as an opportunity to remember the great contribution of women in all countries to the anti-fascist resistance struggle. Their role was as varied as the political life of the resistance struggle. Only a few examples may be mentioned:

Everyone knows the great woman of the Spanish Republic, Dolores Ibárruri Gómez called La Pasionaria. She was president of the Spanish Cortes. With her speeches, she brought many Spaniards, especially women, to the side of the Republicans. From her came the slogan “¡No pasarán!” (“They will not pass!”). She had to go into exile in 1939 and did not return to Spain – politically unbroken – until 1977.

Women fought in the ranks of the armed partisan units. The partisan groups of the Albanian and Yugoslavian liberation armies had their own women’s battalions.

Women also fought in the ranks of the partisans in the Soviet Union. Probably the most famous figure is Zoia Kosmodemjanskaya. After successful operations behind the front lines, she was captured at the age of 18, tortured, and publicly executed on November 29, 1941. When this became known, Soviet soldiers wrote on their bombs and tanks as they advanced westward, “For Zoia.”

The Jewish poet Hirsch Glik set an artistic monument to the Lithuanian partisan Vitka Kempner in the song “Schtil, di nacht is ojsgeschternt”.

Women were involved in all illegal structures of the resistance organizations. Their role was also significant in the stage, in the distribution of anti-fascist material and in the supply. Moreover, they performed tasks that were impossible for men. For example, in occupied France, women specifically made contact with occupation soldiers to obtain information for the fighting units of the Maquis.

Moreover, we do not forget the many thousands of women who were plundered, mistreated and murdered by the fascist regime not only in the Ravenbrück concentration camp, but also in the countless subcamps of all concentration camps and as forced laborers.

This palmary role of women in the anti-fascist struggle has not always been honored in the due form in former decades. Therefore, it is all the more important that in today’s time – and especially in passing on the history of the anti-fascist resistance of the people – we make clear the role of all women for common action.

Anti-fascism is not a question of gender. However, it is one of the foundations of anti-fascist conviction to stand up for full equality and appreciation of the significant contribution of women in anti-fascist action then and now.

In this sense, we congratulate all women to the 100th anniversary of the International Women’s Day, wish them “bread and roses” and assure them that this day is for the FIR and its member federations an obligation for today and tomorrow.

Commemorating the liberation of Budapest

13. Februar 2021

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At the Memorial for the Martyrs on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, MEASZ has organized a press briefing to remember the liberation of the city from fascism, as well as the heroes and victims fallen during the war. Because of the pandemic, instead of the traditional impressive wreath-laying ceremony, MEASZ was present there together with representatives of five political parties who jointly paid tribute to those remembered.

Among those who took the floor during the commemoration were Péter Niedermüller, mayor of the 7th district of the capital, on behalf of the Democratic Coalition party DK, István Ferenczi, chairman of the LMP party organization of Budapest, President Bősz Anett on behalf of the Liberals, Gyula Hegyi, Vice-President of the MSZP Socialist Party, and Gábor Erőss, deputy mayor of the 8th district of Budapest on behalf of the Dialogue party. Vilmos Hanti, President of MEASZ and FIR, who also read out the letter sent by the Association of Russian Veterans, conducted the press briefing.

May 8 must become a holiday in Germany (Esther Bejarano)

28. Januar 2021

In a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, published by German Television, Esther Bejarano, musician, anti-fascist, survivor of the Auschwitz death camp and member of the FIR honour presidency, said:

Where do we stand in this year 76 after the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp? What has become of our hopes? We are only a few, we survivors of the concentration camps. We are not silent. We report about what happened at that time. Will books, films and stories be enough to immunize the next generations against the new and old Nazis, against anti-Semites, racists and conspiracy ideologists?

Words become deeds. We know this. We know about the brown net after ’45, the loud silence, the failure of the German state in denazification. For us it is unbearable when Nazi slogans are shouted and synagogues are attacked again, death lists circulate, right-wing extremists sit in parliaments. Is history repeating itself? Primo Levi, also a prisoner in Auschwitz, said, “It has happened, consequently it can happen again.” We remember in order to change, in order to preserve our democracy. For me, the key to this is the youth. We have to win them. You are not guilty for what happened then, I say. However, you are guilty if you do not want to know about this history.

What ended in the gas chambers began with repression, exclusion, racism. Many of the young people know this. Often I hear then: “Mrs. Bejarano, even if you are no longer here, we will always continue to tell your story.” That is my great hope! Nevertheless, we can start immediately with one change: May 8 must become a holiday, a day on which the liberation of humanity from the Nazi regime can be celebrated! Moreover, for those, who have doubts whether Germans in particular should also celebrate this day, just imagine: What would the world look like today if the Nazis had won?

FIR Season greetings 2021

18. Dezember 2020

We wish all: stay healthy and active. The coming year has many tasks in historical memory work and for anti-fascism today.

The FIR celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. We hope that we can celebrate it together with you. Also after seven decades the political tasks for the political legacy of the women and men from the resistance, the former persecuted are still actual. Therefore, we need everyone with his or her commitment, his or her confidence and his or her strength.

Желаем всем нашим товарищам, друзьям и спутникам в борьбе крепкого здоровья и счастливого и мирного 2021 года.
We wish all our comrades, friends and companions in struggle good health and a happy and peaceful year 2021.
Nous souhaitons à tous nos camarades, amis et compagnons de lutte, une bonne santé et une année 2021 heureuse et paisible.
Wir wünschen allen Kameradinnen und Kameraden, Freunden und Mitstreitern Gesundheit und ein gutes und friedliches Jahr 2021.

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