Young Austria

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Young Austria (YA) encouraged its members to join the British Armed Forces, with several hundred participating. An impressive 95% of its members were involved in the war effort, and 80% belonged to trade unions. The Choir of Young Austria and the Austrian Players entertained around 40,000 visitors. Many YA functionaries had roots in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and collaborated with Czech refugees and former Spanish Civil War fighters. Persecuted as Communists and Jews in Austria, they resisted National Socialism during the 1930s, particularly during Austrofascism. In Britain, they actively supported the war effort, with many members receiving assistance from the Czech Refugee Trust Fund. After the war, about 300 YA members returned to Austria, but many left the Communist Party in the 1950s due to Soviet actions in Eastern Europe. In May 2010, around 30 former members celebrated the 65th anniversary of Austria's liberation, and Erich Herzl began documenting YA's history. Sonja Frank and her arts association KunstPlatzl have gathered photographs, obituaries, and life stories, conducting oral history interviews. The President of the Austrian National Assembly, Mag. Barbara Prammer, acknowledged YA's significant contribution to a free, democratic, and independent Austria.