It is with sincere regret we are unable to attend your historic Convention. At the same time we extend our warmest and fraternal greetings to you on this occasion; we are in deep respect of your activities while contending with thee jaws of the bulwark of Imperialism.

On the eve of our 85th Anniversary we see that the USA and their political allies in NATO have ushered in he 21st Century by transforming the earth into a gigantic battlefield. Wars are being propagated as a basic normality in order to facilitate the already existing hegemonic status and in order to insure the procurement of vested claims capital is willing to use every means thinkable. The international struggle against war, for peace has become the largest and most important challenge for thee insurance of the existence of mankind.

In addition, the fetters that capitalism has imposed on the development off productive forces become increasingly visible. Natural resources are being exploited with no consideration of their regeneration. This is destroying the preconditions of life for future generations. More than two billion people are excluded from any kind of economic participation. The ever-spiraling cycles of crises of the capitalistic economical and financial systems result in serious economical, social and political consequences. And along with capitalistic globalization, the powers of the monopolies have grown. As in most parts of the world we too are seeing in Germany the strengthening of aggressive and reactionary forces.

But the times, they are a-changing. At present we are experiencing ongoing demonstrations, mass actions and the beginning of the formation of a more politically coherent out-of-parliamentary opposition. It will be one of our tasks in the upcoming months to exchange thoughts and ideas of coordinated action even across the Atlantic Ocean.

In Europe the people have begun to say no to an undemocratic European Union. In Germany the trade union movement has in part begun to join forces with some parts of the out-of-parliamentary movement. We are experiencing the formation of a new leftwing party, certainly social-democratic ion its roots, but with extreme potential of bundling a left and progressive-reformist electorate for the probable national elections this coming September. This is in our present viewpoint a step in the correct directionit being our wish to prevent an all-rightwing coalition taking over national power.

The German Communist Party (DKP) and our party newspaper are two of many important factors in this process of the formation of an opposition and struggle against Imperialisms ideological, political, and economic assault on the people in this country. In all of our alliances we aim to point the way to the defense of our constitutionally guaranteed democratic and social rightsever striding actively for the prohibition and defeat of fascist and neo-fascist tendencies, activities and the constitution of such parties.

June 24-26 weekend we held our Unsere Zeit-Pressefest, our party and press festivities in the city of Dortmund, where more than 55,000 visitors participated in seminars and discussion sessions, spent time at our art and literature bazaar and attended a variety of concerts. Here too, we experienced a wave of international solidarity with Cuba, for the support of action in Bolivia, for the support of the path to Socialism Vietnam has taken as well as much exchange of ideas on how to bundle the many facets of trade union action and social protest.

We know hat socialism is the only alternative. It is with this slogan we will also participate in the first German Social Forum in Erfurt Jul 21-24. And it is thus that our youth organization, the SDAJ will be in active participation of the world democratic youth festival in Caracas, Venezuela in August.

The DKP, the German Communist party, draws strength from the world communist movement. Our unity is imperative to the struggle against the impact and effects of neo-liberal, capitalist, imperialist globalization.

Comrades, not only do we wish you a successful Convention in the discussions and debates in plotting out your new Party Programme. Today, we commemorate the many comrades who struggled to form the party and those who also lost their lives or livelihoods in doing so.

It is thus we wish you a Happy Birthday, strength and clarity for the tasks you set out as well as our warmly felt fraternal greetings and salutations for your struggle.

Heinz Stehr, Chairman

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