Lably
Skip to content

International Federation of Resistance Fighters – Association of Anti-Fascists

  • 7 min read
  • 4 chapters

Related on Lably

Through Cold War, Belgium and Germany

LabNazism Hitler

History

The FIR was founded in June 1951 in Vienna. It was formed by an earlier organization called the International Federation of Former Political Prisoners; the latter organization had been founded in Paris in 1947. (Other sources say 1946.)

In the following decades, FIR organized conferences on medical, political and historical themes. The aim was also to prove that the "destruction of German fascism was not only the work of Army organizations, but that the role of partisans and resistance fighters were kept in good memory". To 'preserve the memory of the post-war generations', FIR set-up a historical commission, which published a total of ten “International issues of the resistance movement”, studies of the antifascist resistance fight in various European countries, including reports on the city uprisings in Paris, Prague and northern Italy as well as documents on the resistance in the concentration and extermination camps. and 'the international participation in the national liberation struggle in various European countries', with a specific attention to the Jewish resistance movement. The stated aim of this memory was 'the historical education of young generations'.

The medical and social conferences of the FIR highlighted the health consequences of persecution in Nazi prisons and the medical consequences for family members and the enforcement of appropriate compensation. There were repeated argumentation with social supply points about how long-term health damage by the prison time can be evaluated. Physicians sat for the interests of a former persecuted and with the stated intent to assure those that appropriate care and financial compensation was given.

A key task was the 'fight against the resurgence of neo-fascist organizations and political restoration, particularly in the Federal Republic of Germany'. FIR 'repeatedly documented the reality of fascist crimes, to show what were the inhuman results of such a policy'. Also, as neo-Nazi graffiti 'became increasingly impertinent in Germany' and the desecration of the Cologne synagogue in December 1959, FIR suggested to convene an “International Conference against the resurgence of Nazism and anti-Semitism”. Together with the International League for Human Rights, the Union of Israeli Jewish communities in Italy, the ANPPIA and ANED, FIR organized this conference in March 1960 in Florence, which was attended by 130 delegates from 13 countries.

A further step in the battle against the 'forces of the past' were found in the campaign against the HIAG (“Aid Society of former member of the Waffen-SS”), initiated by the FIR the International meeting against the re-emergence of Nazism and Fascism in October 1963 in Florence. Under pressure from the FIR, HIAG called off their planned 'European Convention'.

During the seventies, FIR supported the creation of a system of common security and cooperation in Europe. Along with other veterans’ organizations, particularly the World Veterans Federation (FMAC), FIR organized a “world meeting of former combatants for Disarmament” in 1979 in Rome.

FIR today

In 2004, at the XIII regular congress in Berlin, FIR adopted a new statute that allowed the 'integration of young anti-fascists'; since that time, the organization is named “International Federation of Resistance Fighters – Association of Anti-fascists” (FIR).

Today, the FIR incorporate member organizations in more than 25 European countries and Israel. The political circumstances have changed, but the main problem is fixed in the slogan “never again”. This was interpreted to mean to "disclose the historical truth about the resistance struggle, the reality of fascism and the role of the anti-Hitler coalition, the allied forces", "including the Soviet soldiers" who "bore the brunt of the war" – the destruction of the fascist barbarism".

Due to various activities and initiatives for disarmament and international cooperation, the Secretary General of the United Nations, on 15 September 1987, designated FIR as “Peace Messenger”. FIR is also the only antifascist organization officially accredited at the EU Transparency Register.

At the Prague-conference in 2016 the FIR awarded the Dutch anti-fascist Max van den Berg with their Michiel van der Borcht-prize for his life-long achievements.

The FIR supported the AFVN protests against honoring former Third Reich soldiers killed in action, at the largest Nazi cemetery in Europe, in the Ysselsteyn Nazi cemetery where over 31,000 former (mainly German) Axis war dead are burided. The FIR also supports their ongoing protests and actions in favour of restricting trade in 'Nazi paraphernalia'.

Sign in to keep reading

3 more chapters are free with a Lably account.

More in History

Church of EnglandAnglican church in EnglandWhite HouseResidence and workplace of the US presidentFrench Third RepublicGovernment of France from 1870 to 1940Western cultureWestern culture, also known as Western civilization, European civilization, Occidental culEarly ChristianityHistorical era of the Christian religionOld NorseNorth Germanic language