1925: Zionist World Congress

The 14th Zionist World Congress in Vienna in August 1925 incited angry criticism and protests against the government of Federal Chancellor Rudolf Ramek. Collapse of the “Jewish government” (according to antisemitic opponents) could barely be prevented.

Ramek had formally pledged all support and a guarantee of security to the Zionist World Organisation. As a conscious provocation, the Nazi Party held its party convention in Vienna on August 15 and 16, to which Adolf Hitler had been invited to speak. However, Ramek gave the order to prevent Hitler from coming.

Planned as a large counter-demonstration by the League of German Völkisch Clubs against the Jewish Congress, the “Vienna Volkstag” was – in agreement with the chancellor – prohibited for the time being. Nevertheless, on August 17, there were demonstrations with violent rioting and armed, bloody clashes between protestors and the police. It was not until August 22 that the “Vienna Volkstag” was held as a mass demonstration on the Ring, albeit without incident.

The Zionist World Congress itself, with about 7000 participants, ran peacefully from August 18 to 28 at the Wiener Konzerthaus. Minister of Social Affairs Josef Resch and Police President Johannes Schober participated as official representatives of Austria, however, there was no representative of the Social Democrats, who said that the whole matter was not their concern.

At the centre of discussions was the creation of a Jewish State of Israel in Palestine.

On the evening before the end of the congress, a large follow-up demonstration was held on the occasion of the visit of the Austrian-German Volksbund, with significant participation from the Social Democrats. Atop the city hall tower blew a mighty black-red-gold flag.