Communist Youth of Austria — Young Left
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Communist Youth of Austria — Young Left (German: Kommunistische Jugend Österreichs — Junge Linke, abbr.: KJÖ) is the Youth Organization of the Communist Party of Austria.
[edit] History
The Communist Youth was founded in 1918. When Dollfuss came into Power in 1934, the Communist Youth became the most important antifascist youth movement in Austria. 250 Members of the Communist Youth joined the International Brigades.
After the Anschluss in 1938, conditions for the Communist Youth got worse again. Many members were arrested, executed or murdered in concentration camps. Nevertheless, the Communist Youth published handbills against war and nazism and some of its members joined guerilla groups and fought against the Nazi regime.
In 1945, the Free Austrian Youth (FÖJ) was founded by communists, socialists and Catholics to build up a free and democratic Austria.
In 1970, the FÖJ broke up because of ideological conflicts and the Communist Youth was re-established.
[edit] Today
Nowadays, the Communist Youth fights against war, neofascism, the Austrian membership in the EU and cuts in social welfare.
The Communist Youth is an independent organisation.
