Tibor Zenker passed away

Born in Vienna on 7 March 1976, Zenker was the son of the well-known Austrian writer Helmut Zenker, and was a prolific author, penning numerous political works on imperialism, fascism, and Marxist-Leninist theory that gained attention within the international communist movement. He played a central role in establishing the PdA in 2013, for which he drafted both the founding declaration and the party constitution. He was elected Party Chairman in 2019, declaring in his closing speech that “We will not need a messiah, our historical protagonist is the working class itself. The redemption of humanity takes place in this world, in the classless society that is brought about through the proletarian revolution and socialism. But for this to be possible, a strong Marxist-Leninist fighting party is needed.” 

ECA statment

European Communist Action issued a statement of condolences on the passing of Zenker: 

The ECA expresses its deep sorrow at the unexpected loss of our comrade Tibor Zenker, Chairman of the Party of Labour of Austria, at the age of just 50. Comrade Tibor was a prominent figure in the communist movement in Austria, as well as in the international communist movement, making a pivotal contribution to its development, for which he worked tirelessly under very difficult conditions following the counter-revolution. Through his modest yet substantial contributions and actions, and through his ideological and political grounding, he helped to confront opportunist forces and, in various positions of responsibility, contributed to the establishment of the Party of Labour of Austria. He held an unwavering belief in the just cause of the struggle of the working class and in its historic mission to build a world free from capitalist exploitation—socialism. He was distinguished by his revolutionary optimism and consistently emphasized the need to strengthen proletarian internationalism. His contribution was significant both in the effort to establish the European Communist Initiative and later in the formation of European Communist Action, at whose meetings he played a notable role in shaping its positions and guiding the steps it has taken to this day. His contribution to the struggle for the adoption of correct criteria regarding the stance of communists toward imperialist war was also significant. His important theoretical and political contributions to the Party of Labour of Austria as well as his published works did not prevent him from also producing a rich body of literary writing, including plays, novellas, and other works. We express our deepest condolences to his family and to his comrades in the Party of Labour of Austria. 

The Secretariat of the European Communist Action (ECA)