Austrian Children's Friends

The Österreichische Kinderfreunde (Austrian Children's Friends) is an Austrian interest-representation organization for children and families, describing itself as the country's largest family organization. It was founded in 1908 in Graz on the private initiative of Anton Afritsch, a family father, carpenter and later journalist, who began by organizing leisure activities for his own children in the Grazer Volksgarten. On 23 February 1908 around 50 parents formally established the "Arbeiterverein Kinderfreunde". The association was founded on the principle of promoting the mental and physical well-being of children, and its early activities included free fairy-tale and lantern-slide evenings, sports, hikes and holiday camps that working-class families could not otherwise afford. The organization grew rapidly. A second local group was founded in Vienna-Floridsdorf in 1910, followed by groups in Lower Austria, Carinthia, Salzburg, Bohemia, Moravia and Hungary. In 1917 the Alpine and Lower Austrian associations merged into the "Reichsverein Kinderfreunde". After the founding of the Republic, Max Winter requisitioned parts of Schönbrunn Palace for the Kinderfreunde in 1919, where the Schönbrunner Erzieherschule (a private educators' school) was established. In 1921 the association was incorporated into the Social Democratic Party organization, and by the early 1920s it had more than 55,000 members in 182 local groups. In 1925 Anton Tesarek founded the Rote Falken (Red Falcons), the youth organization of the Kinderfreunde. The Kinderfreunde were banned by the Austrofascist government in 1934, along with all other social-democratic associations, and their assets were confiscated; many functionaries continued to work illegally until 1938. Official work resumed in 1945. In the 1950s and 1960s new local groups were founded and additional fields of work were added to the traditional ones. In August 2021 the Kinderfreunde renounced their status as an organization close to the SPÖ and all associated rights and obligations at all levels, while still seeing themselves as part of the workers' movement and committed to their social-democratic roots and values. Today the organization advocates for the rights of families and children under the motto "Kinderlärm ist Zukunftsmusik!" (children's noise is the music of the future) and the hashtag #fürallekinder. It runs holiday camps, educational projects, children's rights campaigns and family support services across Austria. Its federal organization is led by a dual leadership (Doppelspitze), with Daniela Gruber-Pruner and Martin Janata serving as managing directors. The Kinderfreunde remain a membership-based association (Verein) rather than a listed company, and they operate as a civil-society organization with a strong historical identity tied to the Austrian labour movement.

The Österreichische Kinderfreunde were founded on 23 February 1908 in Graz as the "Arbeiterverein Kinderfreunde" by around 50 parents on the initiative of Anton Afritsch, a family father, carpenter and later journalist. Afritsch had begun organizing leisure activities for his own children in the Grazer Volksgarten, and the association's statute declared it non-political, tasked with promoting the mental and physical well-being of children. Early activities included free fairy-tale and lantern-slide evenings, sports, hikes and holiday camps. The first holiday action was a four-day hike with thirty children to the Hochlantsch in 1909. Afritsch sought to keep the initiative free of party interests. A second local group was founded in Vienna-Floridsdorf on 14 February 1910, and in the same year the Graz group ran its first holiday colony in Hörgas near Gratwein with 60 children. The Lower Austrian provincial association was founded in 1911, and the Villach group in Carinthia in 1912. In 1913 the first holiday action was held jointly with the Association for the Fight against Tuberculosis in Styria. Further groups emerged in Lower Austria, Carinthia, Salzburg, Bohemia, Moravia and Hungary. During World War I the Kinderfreunde became more active, and in summer 1918 staff accompanied around 50 children to Hungary to escape food shortages. On 25 February 1917 the Alpine and Lower Austrian workers' associations merged into the "Reichsverein Kinderfreunde", with Reichsrat Max Winter as chairman and Afritsch as deputy. In 1918 the association acquired the Steinbergschlössl near Graz and converted it into its first own holiday home. After the proclamation of the Republic, Max Winter requisitioned parts of Schönbrunn Palace for the Kinderfreunde in summer 1919, and on 12 November 1919 the Schönbrunner Erzieherschule was founded there, led by Otto Felix Kanitz. A children's home (led by Anton Tesarek), a library and the Reichsbücherstelle followed, from which the Jungbrunnen publishing house emerged in 1923. In 1920 Max Winter invented the "Kinderheller" action, a voluntary self-taxation of one percent (one heller per wage krone), approved and collected by the trade unions, which financed larger holiday actions until it dried up after currency conversion and the onset of the Great Depression. In 1921 the association was incorporated into the party organization. By the early 1920s it had more than 55,000 members in 182 local groups. In 1922 the Kinderfreunde and the Freie Schule school association merged into "Freie Schule - Kinderfreunde", adding school policy and school reform to its fields. Criticism of church youth institutions, coeducation and weekend excursions that conflicted with Sunday church attendance drew the ire of church circles, especially after the 1919 Glöckel decree. In 1925 Anton Tesarek founded the Rote Falken (Red Falcons), the youth organization of the Kinderfreunde, inspired by the bündische Jugend and scout movements. In 1934 the workers' movement, including the Kinderfreunde, was banned by the Austrofascist government and all assets were confiscated. At that time the organization had around 100,000 members, cared for around 122,000 children and 15,000 Red Falcons in 475 homes. Many functionaries continued their work illegally until 1938. In 1945 the Kinderfreunde resumed official work. In the 1950s and 1960s new local groups were founded and additional fields of work were added to the traditional ones. The organization continued to grow and professionalize, becoming Austria's largest family organization. In August 2021 the Kinderfreunde renounced their status as an organization close to the SPÖ and all associated rights and obligations at all levels, while still considering themselves part of the workers' movement and committed to their social-democratic roots and values. Today the federal organization is led by a dual leadership, with Daniela Gruber-Pruner and Martin Janata as managing directors, and continues to run holiday camps, educational projects and children's rights campaigns across Austria.

• 2026

  Martin Janata joins the management, forming a new dual leadership.

• 2021

  Kinderfreunde renounce their status as an organization close to the SPÖ.

• 1945

  Kinderfreunde resume official work.

• 1934

  Kinderfreunde banned by the Austrofascist government; assets confiscated; around 100,000 members at the time.

• 1925

  Anton Tesarek founds the Rote Falken youth organization.

• 1923

  Jungbrunnen publishing house emerges from the Reichsbücherstelle.

• 1922

  Kinderfreunde and Freie Schule school association merge into Freie Schule - Kinderfreunde.

• 1921

  Association incorporated into the Social Democratic Party organization.

• 1920

  Max Winter invents the Kinderheller action, a voluntary self-taxation of one percent.

• 1919

  Max Winter requisitions parts of Schönbrunn Palace; Schönbrunner Erzieherschule founded on 12 November.

• 1918

  Association acquires Steinbergschlössl near Graz as its first own holiday home.

• 1917

  Alpine and Lower Austrian associations merge into Reichsverein Kinderfreunde; Max Winter becomes chairman.

• 1912

  Villach group founded in Carinthia.

• 1911

  Lower Austrian provincial association founded.

• 1910

  Second local group founded in Vienna-Floridsdorf; first holiday colony in Hörgas near Gratwein with 60 children.

• 1909

  First holiday action: four-day hike with thirty children to the Hochlantsch.

• 1908

  Arbeiterverein Kinderfreunde founded in Graz by around 50 parents on Anton Afritsch's initiative.

Austria's largest family organization and a lobby for children's and families' rights, rooted in the workers' movement and social-democratic values.

• Holiday camps and summer camps

  Camps for children, including the Falkencamp Döbriach and father-child autumn camps.

• After-school care and home hours (Heimstunden)

  Regular group activities for children in local groups.

• Children's rights advocacy and campaigns

  Campaigns such as the annual Kinderrechte-Aktion, especially around 20 November.

• Family support services

  Support and lobbying for families and children.

• Educational projects

  Pedagogical projects and family policy work.

• Rote Falken youth organization

  Youth movement founded in 1925 for older children.

1. 1Willkommen bei den Kinderfreunden - Kinderfreundekinderfreunde.at
2. 2Geschichte - Kinderfreundekinderfreunde.at
3. 3Über uns - Kinderfreundekinderfreunde.at
4. 4Team Österreich - Kinderfreundekinderfreunde.at
5. 5Österreichische Kinderfreunde - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Österreichische Kinderfreunde - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org