A Symbol Of Internationalism: Short

[kurd-l at burn.ucsd.edu]

From: Arm The Spirit <ats at locust.etext.org>
Subject: A Symbol Of Internationalism: Short Biography Of Barbara Kistler

A Symbol Of Internationalism:
Short Biography Of Barbara Kistler

     Barbara Anna Kistler was born on November 21, 1955 in Zurich.
Her parents were workers. She became interested in politics when
she was 16 and began to organize groups and people who were
critical of the ruling system. At age 17, she expressed solidarity
with political prisoners. She also worked in various women's
groups. Her goal was to change the feminist ideas of women through
Marxism-Leninism. She also worked with various anti-fascist
groups. Her most important contact was to the Group Against
Isolation (KGI), which was seeking to build a Communist Party in
Switzerland. She also investigated the situation of communist
movements in other countries. She was especially interested in
movements in developing countries.
     In 1980, she learned from revolutionaries from Turkey who had
fled to Switzerland to escape the military coup. In the mid-1980s,
she came into contact with sympathizers of the TKP/ML [Turkish
Communist Party/Marxist-Leninist]. This led her to study the
program of the TKP/ML more closely. She then became dissatisfied
with life in Switzerland, so she decided to go to Turkey and join
the class struggle under the leadership of the TKP/ML. On May 19,
1991, she was arrested in Istanbul together with her comrades. In
front of the court of the fascist Turkish state, she defended herself
with these words: "You have no right to condemn proletarian
internationalism!" With these words, she condemned Turkish
fascism. She was released on September 16 and returned to
Switzerland. But she only remained there for one month. Then she
went back to Turkey.
     She decided to go to the mountains to join the armed
struggle of TIKKO [Workers and Peasants Liberation Army of 
Turkey], the armed wing of the TKP/ML. In the year 1993 came the
report that she had fallen. Comrade Barbara gave her life in the
leading struggle of the proletariat against fascism, imperialism,
feudalism, capitalism, and all forms of reaction. Her struggle is
our struggle, and she will live on in our struggle. Barbara
Kistler is immortal!

New Democratic Youth - Yeni Demokratik Genclik (YDG)

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