COURSE HELD AT THE PARTY SCHOOL OF THE KPOE IN MODLING, LOWER AUSTRIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R006500420002-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 5, 2002
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 29, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved Rat Mae thR1211/WAKEIAM:WW2-00457R
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Austria CONFIDENTIAL
SUBJECT SUBJECT Course Held at the Party School of the KPOe
in //idling, Lower Aust Tn
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The cowcse was held in the building of the Landeaparteischule far Niederasterreich
on jasonirgottstrasse in !ladling (the building which houses also the Beerksleitung
25X1 for 'ladling)
2. ,132222_91,..thiSelteet
The course was designed to familiarize young Party functionaries with the aims of
the KP0e)to prepare for building Party cadres and to train functionaries for future
Party work,
101.2raskm_g-ik_gatimm:
The speakers listed below, who lectured at the course, were well-schooled CommU-
nists and excellent teachers with narked rhetorical abilities.
a. Pain; an Ausrian Jew about 40 yearsold, a member of the KPOe since 1934 who
spent eleven years in various concentration camps. He is reportedly the di-
rector of the school.
b. Lande; a 35-year old woman, a member of the Lower Aust-ian Landesleitung of
the Communist Party.*
c., renz; about 30 to 32 yeamsof age, a member of the Lower Austrian Landesleitung
of theM0e.
d. Pincher, Dr. 7alter; about 55 years old, brother of Nationalrat Ernst Fischer.
'alter Fischer has been interned in several concentration camps. He is a
specialist on peasant affairs.
e. Deubel; about 32 to 35 years old, a member of the Lower Austrian Landesleitung
of the IPOe.
f. Lauscher, Fritz; about 45 years old, '=frother of municipal councilman Lauscher,
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a member of the Lo,..er Austrian Landesleitung of the lane. He is a special-
ist in trade union matters.
Pohl; a woman of about 40 to
Landenleitung of the KPOe.
h. Hurl.; about 30 years of age,
director of this school.
45 years of age, a
District Secretary
member of the Lower Austrian
In rAdling, at one tthE the
I.. Altschul; about 25 to 28 years of age, a member of the Lower Austrian Landes-
leitung of the KPOe.
j. Honner, Franz; Eationalrat and specialist in youth matters.
4.fete...0.0132-1111=av-P-2=7.2:
Teenty=teo EYce members and functionaries from various parts of Austria attended
the course. Almost half of these mere USIA employees with "fairly hieh standing
in the lo!nr echelons of the KPOe". The remainder ?anointed of youth and labor
organizers ? and various minor functionaries.
5, 1.122-114.1X-PrOgraGs
0600 reveille
0700 breakfast
0730-1000 lecture
1000-1015 second breakfast
1015-1145 study period
1200-1400 lunch and a noonday break
1400=1600 group work
1600-1700 break and tem
1700-1900 study period followed by supper
2200 lights out
DAXIGIMII=e2S-IhMaPpMra2:
The 22 students were organised into four working groupe. Each of these sroues
elected a leader. The mornings
wore devoted to lectures aad study periods, While jn the afternoon the lectures
of the morning wore discussed under the direction of Fein. In the eveAing the
entire day's eork was discussed, and about two hours were devoted to study, slain
under the direction of Fein. During the breaks and free periods, games (usually
volley-ball) were organized. After evenine studids there was group singing as
moll an work on posters. Saturday afternoons were devoted to pet:lining copies
of the "Volkentimme% Saturday afternoons and Sundays mere free. Participants
could also leave the school after supper until 2200 hours.
7. 221123361-11=2421021
Source was favorably impressed with the course. He states that there was a
marked absence of barrack-room discipline, although personal habits and
punctuality were closely observed. During the lectures "free" discussion'
was encouraged, and often students were called upon to make invomptu political
speeches. The reading room, besides being well stocked with Corronist newspapers
end literature, offered a good seloction of all Austrian newspapers, including
the "Arbeiterzeitung", the "Neues Osterreich"? the Triener Kurier", and "Die
Pressen. The course of studies -ns well oreanized and obviously put together
by experienced men. The emphasis vas on strengthening the fighting spirit in
newParty members. Source states that in general his group was enthusiastic ?
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and praised the school work and leadership; there was little criticism. The
more Indoctrinated Communists attending the course comelained that it was too
general and superficial for the serious students. Little time was spent on
discussion of the present-day political scene.
1, The course consisted of seventeen lectures, parts of Which are summarised be-
low. In connection with the subjects covered, the following reading was re-
commended or assiened:
"7eg und Ziel"
"That is Capitalism?"
"Illat is Imperialism?"
"Colonial Crises"
"Vertrauensmann" (described by source an "a paper for
the functionaries of Lower Austria")
2. Pohl, who lectured on the Soviet Union and the steps to be taken in passing
from Socialism to Communisetaught that a) the fourth Five Year Plan is to be
completed in 1951, b) production in the U7SR must be higher per capita than
In the United States, c) "first bread will be free, followed by meat, other
foodstuffs, clothing, etc.", d) secondary education, now compulsory in cities,
will be required also in rural areas in 1951, because of the increased mechanies;
zation of the agricultural industries, e) all classes will disappear.
3,, Fein quoted Lenin,s definition of Imperialicm as the last stage of Capitalism*,
and exrlained that "the general crises of Capitalism are increasing" because of
the following factors: the recovery and increased strength of the UR since
the ear; the collapse of the Imperialist (Axis) pourers; the weakness of England
and France; the erouth of Communist Parties throughout the world; the freedom
movement taking place in the colonial countries; the peace movement Which will
lead to a split between Communism and Ireerialism.
4. Deubel and Muri discussed political parties in Austria, terming the %TY (League
o Inirendents) the catch-all for the rebirth of Fascism, describins the SPOe
(Socialist Party) as the agent of foreignIsperialists in Austria, elaimIng that
In the OeVP (Peoplels Party) the pace is set by the Facist ming, and stating that
all parties in Austria are Imperialist except for the KPOe (Austrian Communist
Party). The latter, Deubel explained, "is not a Russian party, but is Proud
of the Communist Party of the ?'oviet Union ". The aims of the Communist Party
were cited as follows:
a. To destroy opportunistic elements.
b. To heal the cleft in the working class (which was split not by the Communist
Party but by opportunism within the ranks).
c. To bring about the fall of Capitalism. This goal cannot be achieved by the
ballot; revolution must take place. "Reserves in theetrugglel the peasants,
the colonial freedom fighters and the coordination of all Communist Parties
with Moscow".
5. Fein, in another lecturer cited the following factors which cause the KPOe to
renain snail:
a. competition of the SP0e, whose deeds are reactionary in smite
of radical words.
b, left-wing opportunists.
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co mistakes of the Tarty, In taking part in elections, in withdramal from
the trade unions and in self-imposed isolation.
do tun groups within the Party: that of Tomann and that of Frei (sic).
6. Penes lecture was a discussion of state and communal politics, Where the
politica of the Party are applied to conditions existing in the provinces
and municipalities. Pens pointed out the great opportunities for the class
struggle in the municipal councils, where the Party must assume leadership.
He stated also that certain "a ins for the working diass could be achieved in
a bourneele state,
7,. Lecturing on peasant politics, Dr.Fischer noted the over-taxation of the all
farmer, "darage caused by the riddle nen", distribution crises and the class
differences in rural areas. He stated, as the Comeunint point or views, that
the workers in the city must win over the small and middle farmers to the
class struggle against Caeitalisn, "kolkhoz fear" amone the farmers must be
combatted and all Conuunists must assist the "Bund der Kleinen Landuirte",
an organization for the perpetuation of Marxism among farmers.
8. As weaknesses in the Party organization, Fein named the eeneral low level of
Party functionaries (sic), ornanizatioa along Social Democratic lines and
poor routine work in peddling newspapers, Party literature, etc. Fein
stressed the importance of good orlanization in the factory.
9. Lauschor spoke on trade unions, important chiefly as instruments for the re-
moval of the maae system. Among the goals or 6onnunist Party trade union
politica he naned:
a. mane increases, to be deranded in the various branches of industry. Demands
for an overall wane increase are not so forceful.
b, an intensified fight against the white-washing of the Socialist "price-zwindle".
Although it aupported the formation of the Austrian Trade Union Federation, the
Party haserred, said Lauscher? in its tendency to withdraw front the treeenhione
and to under-estimate the imrortance of trade union uork. Houover, factory council-
nen? who are not trade union functionaries, must not be Party treasurere. The basis
of the Communist trade union work must be knowledge of stanline orlero and collective
contracts of the factories as well as "collaboration with na factione".
10. In his lecture on youth Altschul stated that the Party is responsible for both
the FOej (Free Austrian Youth) and the Junne Garde, but has no interest in non-
political youth oraanizations. The Central Committee has criticized the youth
leadership for failure to carry out the Party line. All members of theF0e3 and
Jump Garde must be won over to theParty; young cadres are to be given responsibility
as soon as possible.
11. According to Dr. Fischer, a People's Democracy in Austria is "only a question of
the next few years". Fein stated srecifically that "through the national anti-
Fascist and anti-Irporialist struggle for freedoms, the People's Democracy will
be established in Austria", and that Its establishment will requ7lre:
a. norkers' unity.
b, federation with the peasants.
co a national monenento
Fein described a People's Democracy as "the rath to Socialism during the time
of supremacy of the progressive camp over the power's of reaction and during
the time in which the Soviet Dnion has become a decisive world pouter". The
Soviet Union gives financial and military assistance to such countries. (Yugo-
slavia is not a Peorlels Democracy since, by definition, the latter stands for
economic collaboretion and frien&lhir with the soviet Union.)
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12. Nationalrat Hornier spoke on the polltical situation, saying that "Lenin's
will and Stalin's oath is, in foreign affairs, to prohibit the unity of the
enemies of the soviet Union and to halt the Imperialists. To date, the Inr.
perialists have been halted." With regard to Korea, fanner stated that
isolationism vas growin7 in the United States, that the Congress of the DDR
and the peace movement had prevented American use of the atom bomb, and that
the Soviet Union had shown its desire for peace. Homier added that 120,006
copies of "The Truth about Korea" has been soli, and anon-3r 100,000 copies
orlered.
13, fanner predicted that there would be between 300,000 and 400,000 unemployed
in Austrin during the winter of 1950-1951, When even USIA industries would
be forced to dismiss personnel. He stated that the fourth wage and price pact
was in view, and that there would be currency changes in Austria. The Austrian
state t...eaty would not be signed, Manner explained, until "after clarification
of the world situation".
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*
acuarl: Probably Dr, Genie
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