Vienna Socialist Conference of 1915
Encyclopedia
The Vienna Socialist Conference of 1915 gathered representatives from the Socialist parties of Germany, Austria and Hungary to the only meeting of the pro-war socialist parties of the Central Powers
during World War I
.
See by some as a response of answer to the first conference of pro-Entente socialists that had gathered in London that February, the Vienna Conference met on April 12–13, 1915. It was attended by Friedrich Ebert
, Hugo Haase
, Luise Zietz, Hermann Molkenbuhr and Hermann Müller
representing the Social Democratic Party of Germany
; Ernő Garami
and Zsigmond Kunfi
for the Hungarian Social Democratic Party
and an unknown number of representatives of the Social Democratic Workers Party of German Austria.
The conference passed a resolution declaring that the predictions of the socialist movement made at its international congresses had come true—that the armaments race would lead to a world-wide catastrophe. They proclaimed that the proletariat suffers most from the war, and it was only natural that people in the belligerent as well as the neutral countries would be longing for peace and that the Social Democratic parties have always, and still do, strive for world peace and the brotherhood of peoples. However, the resolution also states that peoples were fighting to defend their independence and "that only such a peace as would not humiliate any of the peoples is possible, for only such a peace could establish a lasting co-operation among all civilized peoples.
The resolution state four specific conditions that would be necessary for peace:
The resolution concluded by noting that the fact that Social Democratic parties defended their countries should not be an obstacle to maintaining international contact with other parties, or result in the suspension of activities of their international institutions.
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
See by some as a response of answer to the first conference of pro-Entente socialists that had gathered in London that February, the Vienna Conference met on April 12–13, 1915. It was attended by Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany .When Ebert was elected as the leader of the SPD after the death of August Bebel, the party members of the SPD were deeply divided because of the party's support for World War I. Ebert supported the Burgfrieden and...
, Hugo Haase
Hugo Haase
Hugo Haase was a German politician, jurist and pacifist.-Biography:Haase was born in Allenstein , Province of Prussia, the son of Jewish shoemaker and small businessman, Nathan Haase, and Pauline née Anker. He studied law in Königsberg and established himself as a lawyer...
, Luise Zietz, Hermann Molkenbuhr and Hermann Müller
Hermann Müller (politician)
' , born in Mannheim, was a German Social Democratic politician who served as Foreign Minister , and twice as Chancellor of Germany under the Weimar Republic...
representing the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
; Ernő Garami
Ernő Garami
Ernő Garami was a Hungarian mechanic who became a social democratic politician and editor, who served as Minister of Justice in 1919.-References:*...
and Zsigmond Kunfi
Zsigmond Kunfi
Zsigmond Kunfi was a Hungarian politician who served as Minister without portfolio of Croatian Affairs and as Minister of Labour and Welfare between 1918 and 1919. His views was near to Karl Kautsky's. Kunfi was member of the Hungarian National Council from 1918...
for the Hungarian Social Democratic Party
Hungarian Social Democratic Party
The Hungarian Social Democratic Party is a political party in Hungary. Both the MSZDP and SZDP lay claim to the same heritage: the Social Democratic Party which was part of a governing coalition in Hungary between 1945 and 1948, and a short period in 1956, which itself was renamed from the...
and an unknown number of representatives of the Social Democratic Workers Party of German Austria.
The conference passed a resolution declaring that the predictions of the socialist movement made at its international congresses had come true—that the armaments race would lead to a world-wide catastrophe. They proclaimed that the proletariat suffers most from the war, and it was only natural that people in the belligerent as well as the neutral countries would be longing for peace and that the Social Democratic parties have always, and still do, strive for world peace and the brotherhood of peoples. However, the resolution also states that peoples were fighting to defend their independence and "that only such a peace as would not humiliate any of the peoples is possible, for only such a peace could establish a lasting co-operation among all civilized peoples.
The resolution state four specific conditions that would be necessary for peace:
- the establishment of international courts with compulsory arbitrationCompulsory arbitrationCompulsory arbitration. In labor disputes, some laws of some communities force the two sides labor and management, to undergo arbitration. These laws mostly apply when the possibility of a strike seriously affects the public interest...
in international conflicts - subjection of all international treaties to parliamentary, democratic control
- limitation of armaments with disarmament as the final aim
- national self-determination
The resolution concluded by noting that the fact that Social Democratic parties defended their countries should not be an obstacle to maintaining international contact with other parties, or result in the suspension of activities of their international institutions.
See Also
- Inter-Allied Socialist Conferences of World War IInter-Allied Socialist Conferences of World War IDuring the First World War there were a number of conferences of the socialist parties of the Entente or Allied powers.- London, Feb. 1915 :The first conference was held in London February 14, 1915...
- Neutral Socialist Conferences during the First World WarNeutral Socialist Conferences during the First World WarDuring the First World War there were three conferences of the Socialist parties of the non-belligerent countries.- Lugano, 1914 :The first joint meeting of any of the socialist parties after the out break of the war was held by representatives of the Swiss Social Democratic Party and the Italian...