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, led by Walter Baier) sold the EKH to a real estate company, whose director was accused of being a former right-wing extremist. The residents were threatened with eviction.^[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

• Arena
• Autonomism
• WUK (Kulturzentrum) [de]