Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus

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The Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus in September 2005. The large banner on the first floor reads, "kein tag ohne autonomes zentrum" ("Not a single day without an autonomous social centre").
Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus

The Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus (EKH) is a self-managed social centre in Vienna's 10th district, Favoriten. It was squatted in 1990 and legalised in 2008. The project is named after Ernst Kirchweger.

Occupation[edit]

The building was squatted on 23 June 1990, and became a self-managed social centre, which hosted migrants and refugees, an infoshop, community activities, and political groups.[1] The squatters, who described the EKH as an "international, multi-cultural, anti-fascist centre," named the building after Ernst Kirchweger. He was a former concentration camp inmate and member of the anti-fascist resistance, who was killed in 1965 by a right-wing protester during a demonstration against Taras Borodajkewycz, a former member of the National Socialist German Workers Party.[1]

Negotiations[edit]

Supportive stencil graffiti: "EKH BLEIBT" ("EKH will remain").

In 2004, the owner of the house (the Communist Party of Austria) sold the EKH to a real estate company, and the residents were threatened with eviction since the new owner was a former right wing extremist.[1] After a long struggle with many protests and actions, a company with close contacts to the municipality of Vienna bought the building in July 2005.[2] The threat of eviction passed and in 2008, a rental contract was signed.[1]

2020 disturbances[edit]

In June 2020, a feminist demonstration protesting the treatment of women in Austria and Turkey, organised by a Kurdish women’s organisation based at EKH, was attacked by the Turkish far-right group the Grey Wolves. In response, anti-fascists organised a counter-demonstration the next day and this resulted in 200-300 neo-fascists attacking the EKH building, throwing stones, bottles and firebombs.[3] The situation then created a diplomatic war of words between Austria and Turkey, with the Turkish ambassador being invited to the Foreign Ministry.[4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Foltin, Robert (2014). "Squatting and Autonomous Action in Vienna 1976-2012". In Katzeff, Ask; van Hoogenhuijze, Leendert; van der Steen, Bart (eds.). The City Is Ours: Squatting and Autonomous Movements in Europe from the 1970s to the Present. PM Press. ISBN 978-1604866834.
  2. ^ "Summary of protests and actions in support for the EKH (english)". Indymedia. Austria. 2005-03-22. Archived from the original on 2005-10-28. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
  3. ^ Arslan, Zeynep. "What's behind the attacks of the "Grey Wolves" in Vienna". Beyond Europe. Austrian Mosaik. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  4. ^ Gaigg, Vanessa (29 June 2020). "Nach Demos in Favoriten: Türkei lud Österreichs Botschafter ins Außenministerium [After demos in Favoriten: Austria invites Turkish ambassador to Foreign Ministry]". Der Standard (in Austrian German). Retrieved 12 July 2020.

External links[edit]

48°10′39″N 16°22′43″E / 48.17750°N 16.37861°E / 48.17750; 16.37861

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