Save the “House with the Red Flag” of the labour movement in Munich!

There is a house in the middle of Munich which has been flying a red flag for over 40 years now. It is a unique building and an essential part of the cityscape. A publisher's and a printery along with multiple labour and democratic organizations constitute the "Haus mit der Roten Fahne". It is a social meeting place, a place where cultural events are being held as well as a place of literature and public education. Hanne Hiob, the daughter of Bertolt Brecht, August Kühn, the author of labour literature, and others have been guests there. Therefore, the "August-Kühn-Verein für die Förderung der Münchener Arbeiterkultur und der Stadtteilkultur im Westend e.V." (August-Kühn-Society for the Promotion of Munich Labour Culture and Westend District Culture, registered society) is also located there.
There, banners are being painted, flyers, posters and books are being read, written, designed and printed and events like movie screenings, music and theatre rehearsals, readings and public gatherings are being held.
 The Munich city council want to have the house cleared and torn down, because its political affiliation is not to their liking. "We don't want any commies in Munich!" is their message.
More than 2200 people signed the petition to save the house. Inhabitants of the district, youth organizations, union committees, cultural institutions and small shop owners appealed to save the "Haus mit der Roten Fahne". Public opinion is on the side of the opponents of fascism and war and on the side of the labour movement using this house.
Nonetheless, on February 15, 2017, the Munich city council made the decision to terminate the lease and to file the eviction suit. The basis for that was the assertion that it would be possible to create affordable rental space on the house's plot. This assertion has already been refuted several times, even by the municipal government.
The decision of the city council is obviously politically motivated which constitutes a severe violation of freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of assembly. The public library, the spaces for rehearsals of street theatre and music, the spaces for exchanging views, for screening movies and for holding public readings should vanish, according to them. But we want to save the house because the labour and democratic movement needs an infrastructure to organize all these things, especially in times of growing racism, nationalism and an ever mounting threat of war.
Yet, the costs for rallying for this fight and the costs for the legal proceedings as well as for experts and lawyers are enormous. We are in dire need of donations! If we win in the legal proceedings concerning the eviction suit, we will use the donations to publish novels and books about culture and history of the labour movement again which are not being published by others because it is not profitable for them to do so.
For further information please visit: www.Haus-mit-der-Roten-Fahne.de