February 12, 1934 – Never Forget. Protect democracy.

2024-02-11 11:20:06

Kaiser on the 90th anniversary: Democracy must be defended and won anew every day.

Klagenfurt (OTS) – Every year, the SPÖ Carinthia commemorates the events of February 12, 1934 as the Dollfuss regime with wreath-layings at the Annabichl/Klagenfurt cemetery, at the memorial to the victims for a free Austria and at the grave of the freedom fighter and later Carinthian state parliament president Hans Pawlik Armed force took action against the Republican Protection Association and the Social Democrats and put an end to democracy in Austria.

At today’s commemoration event for the 90th anniversary, SPÖ state party chairman Governor Peter Kaiser remembered the hundreds of dead and numerous injured as well as the nine Social Democrats who were executed and the more than 1,200 who were incarcerated.

“There were a few who were against trade unions, democratic participation and parliamentarism – and yes, they succeeded in destroying a young democracy. Learning from history means avoiding repeating mistakes as much as possible. It is therefore important, also in the spirit of our mutual friend, Oskar Negt, who unfortunately recently passed away, to remember again and again: Democracy must be defended and won anew every day. I believe that this is the most important legacy of those people who gave their lives for democracy and parliamentarism on February 12, 1934 and subsequently. They gave their lives for values to which we, the social democrats, are still committed today: freedom, democracy and working together in solidarity towards a common future. In this spirit, we commemorate them 90 years later,” said SPÖ Carinthia state party leader LH Peter Kaiser.

“February 12, 1934 is a particularly tragic day of remembrance in Austria, because Austrians shot Austrians here. Carinthia was spared, but by February 12, 1934 at the latest, the democratic conditions in the then young First Republic had been eliminated: In 1934, the Christian Socialists in Austria set about disarming the Social Democratic Schutzbund. The result: Dollfuß’s Austrofascist regime relied on violence. Christian-Social Home Guards, the Federal Army and the police shot at social democratic workers’ associations,” recalled Heinz Pichler from the Association of Social Democratic Freedom Fighters in Carinthia in his speech.

The memorial event ended at the grave of the freedom fighter and later Carinthian state parliament president Hans Pawlik, whose life and work was commemorated by Heinz Pichler. In addition to the SPÖ state party chairman, Governor Peter Kaiser, Federal Councilor Claudia Arpa, NR Philip Kucher, Martin Gressl and Heinz Pichler (Association of Social Democratic Freedom Fighters), the President of the Carinthian Pensioners’ Association, Karl Bodner, LAbg. Andreas Scherwitzl, City Councilor Franz Petritz, representatives* within the SJG as well as other officials and members.

The uprising of the Austrian workers

Date note: On February 27th, the Social Democratic Freedom Fighters and the Renner Institute invite you to analyze the events of 90 years ago and put them in the context of the challenges of defending democracy in the present. State Governor Dr. Peter Kaiser and Prof. Werner Anzenberger – a proven expert on the topic – will discuss.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 6:00 p.m
at the Renner Institute Carinthia, Lidmanskygasse 15, 9020 Klagenfurt
Detailed information at: https://ri-kaernten.at

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