Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus

The Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus (EKH) is a building in Vienna's 10th district, Favoriten.

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").

From June 23, 1990, it was a squatted autonomous social centre, which hosted migrants and refugees, an infoshop, community activities, and political groups. Since 7 November 2008, all the groups using the place have signed a lease and it is no longer squatted.

Name

The squatters, who described the EKH as an "international, multi-cultural, anti-fascist centre," named the building after Ernst Kirchweger; 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]

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.

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