A look at the film: experience history of the labor movement up close

A look at the film: experience history of the labor movement up close

In the heart of Brigittenau there is a hidden treasure - the Vienna Filmmarchive of the Labor Movement (WiFar), which has retained the audiovisual legacy of the Austrian labor movement for 23 years. Not only have long been documented here, but the archive also offers modern opportunities to deal with this story. The digitized and restored films can be purchased both as DVDs, viewed directly in the archive or experienced in film screenings.

“Memory is the key to civilization and society,” said the Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. In the wifar, this belief in the power of history is actively lived. The club with its committed team, which largely consists of volunteers, is devoted to storing and protecting historical films and sound documents that range from the beginning of the labor movement to the present.

historical treasures

The preservation of such treasures is of enormous importance, especially since under National Socialism many successes and cultural achievements of the labor movement were lost. "We are particularly striving to secure and process the still existing documents from contemporary witnesses," explains Maria Friessner, the chairwoman of the association. She invites interested parties to visit the archive and research in the digital archive.

A good way to enjoy these valuable content are the monthly film screenings in the archive. Since 2016, the tradition of the film evenings, which previously took place in cooperation with the "Filmhaus Kino am Spittelberg", has now been continued within its own premises. Here, as part of the “cinema in the community building”, not only historical film material is shown, but also feature films that are connected to the social democratic idea.

The small cinema in Wallensteinstrasse offers space for up to 40 people and the film screenings are completely free. Reservation is not absolutely necessary, but it is advantageous because the places are limited. The visitors are often a bit older, but Christian Bednarik, one of the full -time employees, hopes for a younger audience. He is responsible for the digitization and restoration of the historical films.

Special highlight this month: On Thursday, October 24, the film "The judgment of Nuremberg" will be shown at 4 p.m. This important work deals with the processing of the crimes of the Nazi regime, and well-known actors like Marlene Dietrich and Spencer Tracy have participated. For the small and big breaks there are wine, water and coffee in the cinema, while snacks are welcome to be brought with you.

If you want to learn more about the valuable work and the offer of the WiFar, you can contact 0043 1 37 45 312 or by email to wifar@aon.at. The archive is open from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Everyone is cordially invited to familiarize themselves with the history of the labor movement and to experience how alive they are not only in the records, but also in the common memories.