To the public:

As we got to know from press articles, the Ernst Kirchweger House was sold on Oct 10th 2004 by the austrian communist party (KPÖ). According to the sales contract, the new owner is the "leasing corporation Wielandgasse 2-4", which bought the real estate of the Wielandgasse for the very low amount of EUR 600 000. Christian Machowetz, who is also owner of the "Security Management Christian Machowetz GmbH?", is the chairman of that leasing corporation.

From other trusted sources we know that Machowetz is a formerly active right wing extremist, who may have been engaged in the ANR (Aktion Neue Rechte, an austrian neonazi group, which was prohibited during the 1980s). He is mentioned in a list of paying members of the ANR in the magazine "Ventil" (12/1977, published by the socialist youth vienna). In that list we can also find names like Gottfried Küssel and Gasser Georg, who are wellknown neonazi activists.

In the mid-90s an estate group estimated the building at Wielandgasse 2-4, the EKH, on behalf of the KPÖ. The building itself was estimated to be worth 45 million Schilling (about 3.2 million €), but, because of the existing leasing contracts, its real value was estimated to be about 15 million schilling (a bit more than 1 million €) . One year ago, the building was offered to the city of Vienna for 1 million €, but it was rejected. Now the house was sold for 600 000 €, which is two thirds the amount postulated from Vienna. In the sales contract, which is available to the public, besides the price there is also a referance to a verbal agreement, which isn't recorded in written form. Hereby the KPÖ is prompted publicly another time to reveal the extra agreements made with the new owner.

The selling price is not even close to the real worth of the real estate. Either the sale is a christmas present from the KPÖ to a right estate scalper, or we have to ask what was really agreed upon withing the KPÖ and the new owner. It's a matter of fact that he got this estate for way under its real price.

Because of the planned extensions of the nearby train station to the main station of Vienna, including a shopping street, the worth of the EKH will rise even more within the next 10-15 years. In the context of the rebuildings in the whole district, the EKH is only a victim of leasing speculations, which are going to heavily endanger the social climate in the district. The EKH is in a special position within this situation. Because of the sale a lot of social projects, which managed to get along without state subsidies yet, are seriously endangered and fear to be unable to survive without the infrustucture of the building. These organisations , who are self-administring and maintaining the house would now be replaced by state founded social projects. For example, there is the idea of leasing parts of the house to WOBES (a project which cares for homeless people, drug addicts and ex prisoners) for a high rent after renovating them. Doing this, Machowetz could speculate on and with public money. This would get Machowetz enough money to not only maintain the estate, but to transform it into a high profit apartement house.

Since the sale of the EKH all projects using the house got notices of cancellation for the precarious leasing contracts. The new owner does not want to accept main leasing contract for the "association for counter culture" although it is explicitly named in the sales contract.

According to our legal advice projects with precarious contracts have earned leasing rights by overpaying for operating and maintaining expenses, because they maintained the building themselfs, and by taking over the costs for electricity and heating for the marxistic centrum of the KPÖ for years. Any action against these leasing contracts is a violation of leasing laws. Therefore non of the groups using the EKH is willing to accept the cancellations or to leave the leased rooms.

Despite these facts, the property managment Gustav Petri & Co has requested several groups to sign a written paper saying that they refrain from all legal remedies in order to be able to stay 6 more months. We don't know why legal lodgers should turn down the possibility to go to court for their rights in order to go at own will sooner or later.

In case of not signing that paper some projects were already threatened with getting sued and having to pay 3€ / sqm / monthly. How should non-subsidized projects be able to afford this?

In addition to that paper another on arrived stating that until dec 14th 2004 the corridors in the second floor have to be cleaned of all accumulations. Its not a question if this is another harassment against the lodgers. The usage of the corridors was agreed on in the contracts with the former owner KPÖ, who was also contracted to legalize it. There is already experience with department of building regulation: In May 2004, along the removal of doors by the department of building regulation, three people without clear residence permit status were arrested in their rooms. We appeal to all state institutions to not let themselves be instrumentalized as sidekicks for speculations by private persons. We appeal to the city of Vienna to advise their agencies to act correctly and socially acceptable. This case is a matter of public interest for many people living in Vienna.


Statement by the Flughafensozialdienst (summary):

For some years now organisations voluntarily worked for immigrants in the EKH. These projects are close to the end now. Even if they get cheap replacement properties, the members of the Flughafensozialdienst and the "Deserteurs und Flüchtlingberatung" have always worked voluntarily and would not be able to afford to continue their work outside a centre like the EKH.


Social peace:

The whole surroundings of the EKH are in great danger of getting criminalized. Here an example from the report of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution:

"The members of the anarchist/autonomous scene are still to be threatened as activists with high potencial of violence in 2004. This is especially to be seen in context of a possible sale of the Ernst Kirchweger Haus. If that happens, the anarchist/autonomous scene has lost their base and centre, which has grown over years. A peaceful eviction is not a realistic option. On the contrary, we have to assume that in case of an eviction by police the tendency to violence throughout the left scene will increase even more."

We think that the content of these great "investigations" are a tactice of escalation. Expensive police measures shall be legitimated in the run-up. How much is social peace at the cost of repressive measures worth for the city of Vienna? Wouldn't it be better for Vienna if the city would finally take social and cultural responsibility?

We, the lodgers and users of the EKH, appeal to the public to support all of the projects and organisations resident in the EKH both financially and juridically. We appeal to act for maintaining all projects inside the EKH. In addition, there will be a demonstration and a theatralic performance in the context of a christmas nativity play on sat dec 18th, 2004. Meeting point: Vienna, westbahnhof at 14:00


press group EKH, Vienna on dec 6th 2004.


more information:

- ekhbleibt.info
- med-user.net/ekh

Contact: ekhaus (at) med-user.net