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.

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

Occupation

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
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

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

References
  1. 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 1604866837.
  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. 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 German). Retrieved 12 July 2020.

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