The 1934 February Fights: An Exhibition on the Austrian Civil War at the House of Austrian History

This entry details the 'February Fights' of 1934 in Austria, a period of armed conflict that marked the beginning of the Austrian Civil War. It covers the context of escalating political tensions, the suppression of democratic structures, and the eventual armed resistance by the Republikanischer Schutzbund in key socialist strongholds.

The page describes the 'Februarkämpfe' (February Fights) of 1934 in Austria, a significant period of armed confrontation that ignited the Austrian Civil War. The text explains how the Austrian Social Democratic Party, despite adhering to constitutional means, passively accepted the dismantling of democratic institutions, including the banning of the Republikanischer Schutzbund in May 1933. This led to disillusionment among many leftists, with some joining illegal communist groups or turning to National Socialism. The government continued to dismantle remaining social democratic structures, prompting searches for weapons in party headquarters. When such a search occurred in Linz on February 12, 1934, the Schutzbund, led by Richard Bernaschek, resisted, initiating the civil war. The conflict, lasting from February 12 to 15, spread to Viennese suburbs and council housing estates, Steyr, Graz, and Upper Styria, with significant casualties and the shelling of workers' homes. Following the brief uprising, which was seen as an early resistance against fascism in Europe, the government declared martial law. Leaders of the uprising, including Nationalrat deputy Koloman Wallisch, were executed. The civil war left deep societal scars and remains a significant event in collective memory. The article is authored by Helmut Konrad and is part of the 'Lexikon zur Zeitgeschichte' (Lexicon of Contemporary History) series on the Haus der Geschichte Österreich website.