“Together with today’s generations, we preserve the legacy of the fighters and persecuted, we fight against neo-fascism, racism and the roots of fascism, and for democracy, humanism, social justice and “a new world of peace and freedom.” This was the message of the XVIII regular congress of the International federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR), held in Reggio Emilia (Italy) on 29-30 November 2019. Delegates and guests from more than 15 European countries met in this famous region, well known for the “Resistenza” and the place of birth of the Italian Tricolore.

In its political and organizational report, the Secretary General presented a successful balance of the work of FIR and its member federations of the last three years. He mentioned important conferences in Belgrade and Rome, impressive commemoration ceremonies of liberation dates in former concentration camps, but also in Sevastopol, and political activities of member federations in all countries against neo-fascist violence, racism, antisemitism, and right-wing political attempts in electoral campaigns. He presented good experiences for the work with the exposition of “European Resistance fight against Nazism” and other ways to give the legacy of the veterans to new generations. He underlined that it was successful to strengthen the relations between FIR and its member federations, to intensify the communication, and to bring former member federations back into the active work of FIR. This work will be continued.

A main point in the political debate was the critics on the declaration of the European parliament of 19 September 2019. All delegates rejected this scandalous statement of historical revisionism. Several member federations made concrete proposals for common projects of historical work, being active against NS-glorification in Budapest, Sofia, Riga and Bleiburg, to support the International Day against Racism, declared by the United Nations.

From 29 November to 1 December 2019, the XVIII regular congress of FIR will take place in Reggio Emilia. Three years after the Prague congress, the member federations will make a balance of the political work and the changes of the framework conditions. The three core messages of FIR work are: “Never again war!”, “Never again fascism!” and “Preservation of the memory!” They will stand in the center of the consultation.

Wars take place with European participation in different parts of the world. The FIR as UN “ambassador of the peace” steps against it for non-military conflict solutions and engages itself – f.e. in May 2018 – together with the Serbian member federation SUBNOR for regional peace solutions. We are committed to international agreements on arms limitation and disarmament.

The slogan “Never again fascism” is more important than ever due to the growth of extreme right and right-wing populist parties in various European countries and in the European Parliament. If you look at the situation in Austria, Poland, Hungary and – temporarily – in Italy, for example, we see a massive influence of extremely right-wing political parties even on the national governments.

The fateful resolution of the European Parliament of 19 September, in which an open historical revision was carried out in relation to the history of the Second World War and the role of the forces of the anti-Hitler coalition in the smashing of fascist barbarism, is certainly also an expression of the right-wing influence. Such statements are connected with actual attacks on the politics of remembrance and memorials in different parts of Europe. The congress will therefore discuss how we can counter the development of the extreme right.

Therefore the “preservation of the memory” and the inclusion of the today’s generations into the continuation of the anti-fascist work is a large task for the member federations. It concerns the passing on of the political legacy of the survivors, the preservation of the places of remembrance and the historical-political work in the sense of anti-fascism and international understanding. On the congress is spoken therefore also about the “Train of Thousand” in May 2020 and our contribution for this remembrance.

All these challenges confirm the necessity of anti-fascist and anti-racist work also in the future. For that, powerful and actionable organization in the respective countries and an international umbrella organization like the FIR are indispensable. At the congress, member federations will present examples of their successful work, so that thereby also an exchange of experience becomes possible. Together the FIR federations will think about it how in addition anti-fascist and anti-racist forces can be bundled in networks. Guests are welcome. They must announce themselves however over the member federations and/or directly with the office of the FIR and pay for their travel expenses and accommodation themselves. The FIR office is gladly helpful with the reservation of the accommodation.

Disarmament instead of armament – We need a new international peace policy!

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the attack of Hitler Germany on Poland on 1 September 1939, which marks the military beginning of the Second World War, the International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) – Association of Anti-Fascists calls for initiatives for a new international peace policy.

We experience with large concern that by the acting of the NATO and in particular the USA achievements of the détente politics of past decades are destroyed. The permanent stationing of NATO combat units near the Russian western border is in contradiction to the agreements at the beginning of the 90s. The termination of the INF Treaty by the Trump administration and the test series with new medium-range missiles are another visible expression of the intensification of international crisis. The United Nations and its institutions are now only considered “when needed” for conflict solution.

In the Middle East, the United States and its allies are attempting to act as “world police”, taking no account of the sovereignty of individual states. Even international treaties are terminated unilaterally if they appear to serve the interests of the USA. Sovereign states are urged to subordinate themselves as “vicarious agents” to the ideas of the US administration, as the example of the confiscation of an Iranian tanker has shown.

Such action is legitimized with an alleged “fight against terrorism”, but in fact increases the danger of military escalation. In Latin America, targeted military threat scenarios are being developed in order to promote the policy of “regime change”. However, in Europe, too, we have military areas of conflict in the Balkans and Ukraine that can become a conflagration far beyond their respective regions.

The survivors of the Second World War and the fighters for the liberation of their countries from fascist barbarism demanded in 1945: “Never again fascism! Never again war!” They wanted “a new world of peace and freedom”. Today more than ever this legacy must be filled with life.

The FIR and their member federations use themselves therefore for a new international peace policy.

To it belongs in particular the obligation of all states to create an actual armament limitation and disarmament by international agreements instead of new weapon systems and armament.

The danger of nuclear weapon systems can be reduced by supporting the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty negotiated by the United Nations 2017.

International law and the sovereignty of states must be restored.

The political effectiveness of the United Nations must be strengthened again by pursuing non-military conflict solutions under the control of the UN more clearly than in previous years.

As “ambassador of peace” – appointed by the United Nations – the International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) – Association of Anti-Fascists appeals to peace initiatives, parties, trade unions and critics of globalization to engage in actions, votes and declarations for a new international peace policy. The FIR calls its member federations to take part with their historical experiences in it.

December 14/15, 2018 ANPI invited to an international conference in Rome. The following declaration was accepted in this meeting:

Today as never before since the war, Europe sees a fierce and composite gathering of neo-fascist, racist, neo-Nazi- nationalist inspired political forces. Those forces, although often different among them (probably because of each specific national history), operate with similar goals, ideals, language, proposals and political practices.

The implementation of neoliberal economics on over Europe and the effects of the severe economic crisis that began after the 2007/2008, with the scandal of sub-prime mortgages, have been devastating under the socio-economic and cultural point of view, resulting in a decline of the great ideas of solidarity, equality, freedom and democracy, which were the flags of the international resistance movement and which prevailed in the post war Europe, after the defeat of Nazi-fascism.

Economic policy and liberal culture have led to an extraordinary rise in poverty and at the same time an increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of a few.

The EU appeared therefore to millions of citizens, not as a higher form of solidarity among peoples and States, aimed at increasing democratic cohesion and well-being for its peoples, but as one of the main causes of the growing social exclusion, of the impoverishment, of the deterioration of personal rights. It appeared as a Europe of elites, of the major financial funds and economic lobbies, indifferent to the fate of countries and of a large part of the people.

Within this framework, have largely grown and/or have gradually prevailed in many countries, political forces either of nationalist, racist, fascist, neo-Nazi inspiration, or strongly influenced by these ideas. We therefore share the concerns expressed in the European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2018 on the increase of neo-fascist violence in Europe, with particular reference to the anti-democratic drift of various Eastern European countries, where current Governments are increasingly questioning political, civil, and social rights, denying antifascist memory, trivializing, minimising or even denying the crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators, obscure the value of the forces that fought and won against the Nazi-fascist occupation. These obscurantist, antidemocratic and repressive positions closely resemble to fascist and Nazi policies.

Those forces all share the pursuit of “scapegoat” of the unquestionable difficulties of such a large part of the people: the migrants.

The migrant, who is the preferred target of the right-wing radical forces, is not the only target. Discriminations against any real or alleged diversity, the Roma and Sinti, homosexuals, women, Jews, political opponents are also taking place more and more often. The everyday more explicit attack to the achievements of women also deserves a special attention. Ethnicity, gender, language, religion, political views, personal and social conditions have now become the new frontier of a creeping racism that poisons the social cohesion and identify “the Other” as “the enemy”.

In this serious situation, made even murkier by the possible further progression of those forces at the next European elections, we must react quickly and together. It is not the time for divisions and distinctions: to counteract this issue we need to be united against anyone who spread the contagion of nationalism, racism, fascism, neo-Nazism; against any person seeking to shift Europe into a climate obscurantist.

The EU needs an intense rethinking of the economic and social policies, which should focus on employment and a new welfare, to bring Europe back to its founding values – starting with antifascism – and relaunch in a modern way, its essential principles, to begin with human rights. We need a common policy to encourage employment and investment, to tackle unemployment and poverty, to redistribute income, to rebuild welfare. This is possible through the common work of the European Union and the individual States, so that the partial transfer of sovereignty of each State goes to the concrete advantage of its own people and of all the peoples of the Union.

Moreover, we need a common European and national policy to strongly tackle all forms of racial discrimination and xenophobia, fascism and neo-fascism, nationalism, obscurantism.

Furthermore, we need an uncompromising opposition to any form of Shoha and Porajmos and all extermination camps denial: Slavs, homosexuals, political prisoners, prisoners of war, Jehovah’s witnesses, Pentecostals, POWs, mulattoes, disabled, mentally ill.

The European Union has guaranteed more than seventy years of peace between countries, with some rare and unfortunate exception. Yet, EU countries were too often involved, frequently in the front row, in wars of aggression in the Middle East and Africa. The return of nationalisms frightens, because history shows how many times they have triggered a war as a solution for international disputes.

We are worried about the continued increase of military exercises on the Eastern front of the European Union and the increasing tension that opposes NATO to Russia. There is an urgent need for a gradual de-escalation of both sides, and that Europe finds back its role as an actor of peace. We are committed to a Europe of peace within its borders and around the world, because peace is the necessary scenario for any social and civil advancement

We send out a cry of alarm in front of the continuous erosion of democracy and the increasingly worrying successes of the right-wing radical forces in Europe; we work to build a broad democratic front, Republican and popular, we put forward and practice a relentless contrast to those forces.

Facing the danger of new fascisms, however masked or hidden, facing the reality of new racisms that affect many countries, facing the attempts to reduce the democratic freedoms, the freedom of the press, of denial of separation of powers, is time to create the unprecedented experience of unity between old and new antifascists, unity in the vast world of associations, unity among institutions, trade unions, peoples and citizens, to enhance the respect of human and civil rights, in a nutshell we shall give birth to the unity of antifascists.

For these reasons 1) We urge to support, in the forthcoming European elections, the forces that are unambiguously opposed to the sovranist, racist and fascist formations, 2) We are committed to creating a permanent European network of Antifascist associations and organisations, 3) We decide now on a next common appointment for the first months of 2019.

Roma,15 dicembre 2018

Carla Nespolo, Presidente nazionale ANPI;

Ulrich Schneider, Segretario generale FIR;

Tit Turncheck, Presidente ZZ NOB Slovenia;

Franjo Habulin, Presidente SABA Croazia;

Andrej Mohar, Segretario generale ZKP – Unione Partigiani Carinzia (Austria);

Casimiro Baptista Levy, Presidente URAP (Portogallo);

Nicolay Royanov, Vicepresidente Associazione Veterani Russi;

Manuela Gretkowska, fondatrice Partito delle Donne (Polonia);

Conny Kerth, Presidente VVN-BDA/RFA (Germania);

Dario Venegoni, Presidente ANED;