Einheitsfront

Einheitsfront, meaning "United Front" in German, refers to a political strategy employed by communist parties. The core idea is to form a broad alliance with other political groups, particularly social democrats and other left-wing parties, to achieve common goals. This strategy emerged in response to the perceived threat of fascism and the need to counter conservative or reactionary forces.

The concept was first formally articulated by the Comintern (Communist International) in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Initially, communist parties pursued a more sectarian approach, viewing other socialist and labor movements as "social fascists" and enemies. However, the rise of Nazism in Germany and the increasing threat of war led to a re-evaluation of this stance.

The Comintern's Sixth World Congress in 1928 marked a shift, although the more prominent implementation of the Einheitsfront strategy came later. The Seventh World Congress in 1935, under the influence of Georgi Dimitrov, solidified the policy of popular front governments and anti-fascist alliances. This aimed to unite a wide spectrum of society against the common enemy, often working within existing parliamentary structures.

The success and specific implementation of the Einheitsfront varied significantly depending on the national context. In some countries, it led to temporary alliances and electoral cooperation. In others, it was less effective or faced internal divisions. The strategy aimed to build a mass movement capable of defending democratic freedoms and resisting authoritarianism.