!!!Republikanischer Schutzbund

Republikanischer Schutzbund, paramilitary organisation formed 1923/24 
from the guard formations of the Social-Democratic Party; its members 
wore uniforms and were organised in companies, battalions and 
regiments and well armed (with infantry weapons). Its central 
headquarters was located in Vienna (J.  Deutsch, A.  Eifler and T.  
Koerner), every province had its own regional headquarters. The 
Social-Democrats meant the Republikanischer Schutzbund as an 
alternative to the  federal armed forces, which was dominated by the 
Christian Socialists. It also stood as a symbol for "proletarian 
resistance". It partially succeeded the  Volkswehr and later 
became the counterpart to the Christian Socialist  Heimwehr. In 1928 
the Republikanischer Schutzbund reached its maximum size of 80,000 
members, mainly in Vienna, the industrial areas of Lower Austria, 
Upper Austria, Carinthia and Styria. The 
Republikanischer Schutzbund was involved in local clashes on 
numerous occasions; its most important parade was held on October 9, 
1928 in Wiener Neustadt. From the 1930s on the Republikanischer 
Schutzbund continuously lost in importance and power, and on March 
30/31, 1933 it was dissolved by the Dollfuss government. It continued 
to exist underground, and on February 12, 1934 began its fight against 
the government in Linz ( Uprising, February 1934). In the civil war 
that followed almost 200 members were killed and about 300 wounded. 
After its defeat many members were arrested, several hundreds fled to 
the ČSR and to the Soviet Union, where many were killed under 
Stalin. Some former members fought in the International Brigade in the 
Spanish civil war 1936-1939. An attempt to establish an 
"Autonomer Schutzbund" in Austria, coexisting with the  
Revolutionaere Sozialisten proved unsuccessful.

!Literature
J. Deutsch, A. Eifler, ein Soldat der Freiheit, 1947; R. 
Stadler, Opfer verlorener Zeiten, 1974; K. Haas, Zur Wehrpolitik der 
oesterreichischen Sozial-Dem. in der 1. Republik, in: L. Jedlicka 
and R. Neck, Oesterreich 1927-38. Vom Justizpalast zum Heldenplatz 
1975.


%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Republikanischer_Schutzbund|class='wikipage austrian']
%%

[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]