Communist Party of Luxembourg

(CPL; Parti Communiste de Luxembourg), a party founded Jan. 2, 1921, on the basis of the revolutionary wing of the Socialist Workers’ Party (founded in the 1890’s).

The CPL joined the Comintern in January 1921. The Second Congress of the CPL (1921) expelled the Trotskyists from the party and elected new leaders, headed by Zenon Bernard. In 1928 a new program was worked out for the CPL (the first program had been adopted in 1921), and steps were taken to strengthen the party leadership; D. Urbany joined the leadership at this time. The Third Congress of the CPL (1931) committed the party to strengthening its ties with the masses and overcoming sectarian attitudes. The CPL received 5.5 percent of the votes in the municipal elections of 1931 and 7.3 percent in the parliamentary elections of 1934. During the 1930’s the CPL redoubled the struggle to rally the working people and antifascist forces. Many members of the CPL fought in the International Brigades in Spain between 1936 and 1939.

During the fascist German occupation of Luxembourg (May 1940-February 1945), the CPL went underground, standing at the forefront of the Resistance Movement and actively participating in the general strike of September 1942. Many members and leaders of the CPL, including Zenon Bernard, perished in the struggle against the fascist German occupation.

After World War II, a representative of the CPL was included in the National Union government until May 1947. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, the CPL led the struggle of the working people for Luxembourg’s neutrality and the democratic and social rights of the working people and against any affiliation with military blocs, the Paris agreements of 1954, and the “integration” of Europe. In 1974 the CPL received five seats in parliament (in 1959 it had received 9.6 percent of the votes and three seats; in 1964, 10.4 percent and five seats; and in 1968, 15.5 percent and six seats).

Delegations of the CPL participated in the international Conferences of Communist and Workers’ Parties (1957, 1960, and 1969, in Moscow). The CPL approved the documents adopted by these conferences.

Under its rules (adopted in 1965; the previous rules were adopted in 1956), the CPL is built on the principles of democratic centralism. The highest body is the party congress and, in the intervals between congresses, the Central Committee; the executive body is the Presidium. The chairman of the CPL is D. Urbany. The central organ is the newspaper Die Zeitung vum Letzeburger Vollek. (See Table 1 for congresses of the CPL.)