To the Third Austrian Party Congress in Vienna

Author(s) Frederick Engels
Written 31 May 1892


First published in the Arbeiter-Zeitung, No. 24, June 10, 1892
Printed according to the newspaper hecked with the manuscript
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 27
Collection(s): Arbeiter-Zeitung (Vienna)

London, May 31, 1892

Dear Comrades ,

I thank you for your friendly invitation to your twice-banned party congress, which, it is to be hoped, will now take place.[1] Although I shall not be able to attend your sessions as guest, I am happy to take the opportunity of sending the assembled Austrian comrades my greetings and a confirmation of my lively interest. We here, who enjoy a freedom of movement unknown on the entire Continent, certainly can appreciate that, despite the many limitations of their field of manoeuvre, the Austrian workers have captured the glorious position they now occupy. And I can assure you that here, in the motherland of large-scale industry, the workers' cause progresses; and this is the most significant and gratifying feature of today that, look where we will, everywhere the workers are on their irresistible march forward.

Your old

Frederick Engels

  1. ↑ The opening of the third congress of the Social-Democratic Party of Austria was scheduled for April 17, 1892 in Linz. However, the authorities did not allow the congress to be held there. Late in May, the Austrian government lifted the ban, and the congress took place in Vienna between June 5 and 9. It considered tactical and organisational questions of the Austrian socialist movement, adopted party rules and made additions t o the party programme.