Red triangle (badge)

Eight-hour workday The red triangle has been a left-wing political symbol since the 19th century. On Labor Day in 1890 in France workers wore a red triangle as a symbol of the eight-hour working day they were fighting for, with the three points representing 8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest, and 8 hours of leisure. The badge symbolizes workers' demand for a maximum eight-hour work day, which reserved 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of leisure. The inscription "1 May, 8 hours of work" was sewn onto the triangle for the demonstration. Following the immense success of the mobilization of the 1 May 1890 – in Belgium, 150,000 workers went on strike – it was decided shortly afterward to make this date a worldwide day of action, this is the creation of the International Workers' Day (). File: Placard publicitaire Savon des Trois 8 - 02.jpg | '3x8' brand soap File: Publicité pour le savon Le 3-8, illustration.jpg | El Lissitzky's Red Wedge in 1931 (a periodical published by the League of Militant Atheists). Similar symbols were being used in far-left politics in early 20th century Russia. A red triangle or "red wedge" features on some early communist posters. A red wedge appeared in a 1919 soviet propaganda poster by constructivist artist El Lissitzky titled "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge", referring to the anti-communist White movement, who were defeated by the Red Army during the Russian Civil War. Numerous modern left-wing groups and publications have used symbols that reference the red wedge, or the reclamation or the red triangle badge that the Nazis used to mark their political opponents, or both. The black flag used by modern anti-fascists (Antifa) also refers back to the era of the Russian Revolution. The El Lissitzky poster was the namesake of the 1980s British left-wing musical collective Red Wedge, they opposed British conservatives but did not describe themselves as communist. == Opponents of the Nazi Party ==

Background to Nazi persecution of left-wing opponents The colour of the symbol comes from the party colours of the Communist Party of Germany, one of the first groups to be detained in the Nazi concentration camps. The red triangle was only used for Jewish prisoners in unusual circumstances, such as when the Nazi authorities in the prison were unaware that the prisoner was Jewish. German communists were among the first to be imprisoned in concentration camps. Their ties to the USSR concerned Hitler, and the Nazi Party was intractably opposed to communism. Rumors of communist violence were spread by the Nazis to justify the Enabling Act of 1933, which gave Hitler his first dictatorial powers. Hermann Göring testified at Nuremberg that Nazi willingness to repress German Communists prompted Hindenburg and the old elite to cooperate with them. Hitler and the Nazis also despised German leftists because of their resistance to Nazi racism. Hitler referred to Marxism and "Bolshevism" as means for "the international Jew" to undermine "racial purity", stir up class tension and mobilise trade unions against the government and business. When the Nazis occupied a territory, communists, socialists and anarchists were usually among the first to be repressed; this included summary executions. An example is Hitler's Commissar Order, in which he demanded the summary execution of all Soviet troops who were political commissars who offered resistance or were captured in battle. Many red triangle wearers were interned at Dachau concentration camp. The triangle and star system was used at the Dachau concentration camp from 1938 to 1942. According to the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim, Poland, 95% of prisoners at Auschwitz concentration camp were accused of political crimes. Later this expanded and many political detainees were German and foreign civilian activists from across the political spectrum who opposed the Nazi regime, captured resistances fighters (many of whom were executed during—or immediately after—their interrogation, particularly in occupied Poland and France) and, sometimes, their families. German political prisoners were a substantial proportion of the first inmates at Dachau (the prototypical Nazi concentration camp). The political People's Court was notorious for the number of its death sentences. == After WWII ==

Since the end of World War II the red triangle has been used as an anti-fascist symbol. which were banned immediately by the military administrations of each of the British and American occupation zones for being far politically left. By June 26, 1945, an "association of political prisoners and persecutees of the Nazi system" had been founded in Stuttgart, and in the following weeks and months, there were regional groups of ex-political prisoners and other persecuted individuals formed with the permission of the allied forces, in each of the four occupation zones. The group are critical of far-right politicians in Germany and abroad. In 2025, the group claimed that, "The weakening of universities has long been a declared goal of the US right". Use in East Germany (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) From 1975 onwards, the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR, also known as East Germany) released a medal for the "Committee of Antifascist Resistance Fighters" (KdAW, ) of the GDR that included a red triangle. The Committee of Antifascist Resistance Fighters (KdAW) was formed in 1953. Practically speaking, it functioned as the East German counterpart of the Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime (Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes). The KdAW enjoyed a close relationship with the Socialist Unity Party, although it was not a member of the National Front. The organisation played an important role in the commemoration of German resistance to Nazism and The Holocaust in East Germany. East Germany used such commemorative functions to emphasise the anti-fascist orientation of the state. Membership in the KdAW served as a means of accessing benefits. For instance, membership made one eligible to receive the Medal for Fighters Against Fascism. It also contained a number of working groups, which brought people with similar backgrounds together. The most prominent of these were groups for survivors of various concentration camps and prisons; for example one existed for former prisoners of Brandenburg-Görden Prison. Another working group was formed for veterans of the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War. The red triangle on memorials In addition to the Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime – Federation of Antifascists (VVN-BdA) memorials above, the red triangle also features on numerous other war memorials in Europe. War memorials featuring the red triangle symbol exist in Germany and in areas of Europe that were occupied by Germany during World War Two. The Auschwitz Cross (), instituted on 14 March 1985, was a Polish decoration awarded to honour survivors of Nazi German concentration camps, including Auschwitz. Auschwitz is a German name for the Polish town Oświęcim, where a complex of concentration camps was built by Nazi Germany during the German occupation of Europe during WWII. It was awarded generally to Poles, but it was possible to award it to foreigners in special cases. It could be awarded posthumously. It ceased to be awarded in 1999. An exception was made in the case of Greta Ferušić, who was awarded it in February 2004. Some of the people awarded the medal were Jewish, including Szymon Kluger (Shimson Kleuger). Belgium and (Red Triangle) are Belgian organisations who promote the use of the red triangle as a symbol of anti-fascism and anti-racism. == Recent anti-fascist and left-wing usage ==

After the war the red triangle and pink triangle symbols were reclaimed by those who opposed the Nazis' oppression of those groups. Symbols at protests Red triangle and red wedge symbols often feature at protests against far-right political movements, particularly in Germany. The German protest group NIKA () was started in response to the rise of Germany's far-right party, the AfD (). File:AfD Niedersachsen Landesparteitag 2022 Gegenkundgebung Fahnen.jpg | VVN-BdA flags at a protest against Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Hannover in Lower Saxony in 2022. File: March Against Racism and Fascism (33524936388).jpg | alt=banner shows a Star of David made from a red triangle pointing down and a black triangle pointing up, the antifascist red and black flags a are in the center, and text under it says "death to fascism, freedom to the people" | A Jewish anti-fascist symbol on a banner in New York City at a rally against the Christchurch mosque massacre and other fascist violence on 16 March 2019 File: Protest against an AfD meeting in the Zitadelle Spandau 04.jpg | NIKA logo in the corner of a banner saying in , in Spandau in 2018 File: Internationale vrouwendag, bijeenkomst bij het Ravensbrück-monument in Amsterdam, Bestanddeelnr 933-2591.jpg | Women with symbols of all persecuted groups on International Women's Day at the Ravensbrück monument in Amsterdam in 1985. Political discourse Political discussions often include comparisons to Nazi Germany or fascism more broadly, the analogy is often criticised and particularly controversial when applied to Israel (the self-described "Jewish State" in the Levant). in European politics Red triangle lapel pins are widely distributed Western European countries. Red triangle pins are worn by socialist, communist, and other left-wing or far-left politicians in countries such as Belgium, Spain, and France. Left-wing French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon wore a red triangle lapel pin during his campaign, the message was particularly aimed at diffentiating himself from far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen (daughter of the party's even more controversial founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen). Bernalicis was born into a family close to the communist movement, with a militant father, an elected grandfather and a great-grandfather who was deported to the Dachau concentration camp because of his political convictions. In 2020, red lapel pins were worn by Spanish politicians Pablo Iglesias (Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain, hhh) and Alberto Garzón (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, from the United Left party) when they were sworn into government by the King of Spain. Alberto Garzón has been wearing the symbol since 2016. File:Jean-Luc Mélenchon 2022 (cropped).jpg | Jean-Luc Mélenchon, La France Insoumise (photo 2022) File:Réunion publique FI, Le Creusot, 15 May 2019 - 01 (cropped).jpg | Ugo Bernalicis, Left Party, French (photo 2019) File:Alberto Garzón 2020 (cropped).jpg | Alberto Garzón, Communist Party of Spain (photo 2020) File:Pablo Iglesias 2020 (portrait).jpg | Pablo Iglesias Turrión, Podemos, Spain (photo 2020) Modern persecution of leftists and criticism of the far-right In 2020, Donald Trump's presidential re-election campaign attracted controversy by using the symbol in social media adversisements attacking his own far-left opponents, whom he described as "Antifa". Facebook banned the ad on the basis of the historical use by the Nazi Party in their persecution of their political opponents. 2020 Trump campaign accusations against antifa In June 2020, Donald Trump's election campaign included an advertisement on social media saying that he would make "Antifa" (short for anti-fascism) a "designated terrorist" group. The advertisement showed the red triangle as an antifa symbol. In June 2020, the re-election campaign of Donald Trump posted an advertisement on Facebook stating that "Dangerous MOBS of far-left groups are running through our streets and causing absolute mayhem" and identifying them as "ANTIFA", accompanied by a graphic of a downward-pointing red triangle. The ads appeared on the Facebook pages of Donald Trump, the Trump campaign, and Vice President Mike Pence. Many observers compared the graphic to the symbol used by the Nazis for identifying political prisoners such as communists, social democrats and socialists. Many noted the number of ads – 88 – which is associated with neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Progressive and conservative Jewish groups both expressed public disapproval for Trump's use of the symbol. "Bend the Arc: Jewish Action", a Progressive Jewish site, stated the campaign was using the symbol "to smear millions of protestors". Facebook removed the campaign ads with the graphic, saying that its use in this context violated their policy against "organized hate". The Trump campaign's communications director wrote, "The red triangle is a common Antifa symbol used in an ad about Antifa." Historian Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, disputed this, saying that the symbol is not associated with Antifa in the United States. Trump lost the 2020 election, but won the next, then in his second term Trump again tried to use terrorist designations very broadly, to target drug cartels in Central America. == Logos of political and activist groups ==

• Anti-Fascist Action in the United Kingdom used the symbol in badges in the 80s, the one example showed the pointed red shape smashing a black swastika. • Anti-Racist Action (1988) use a red triangle in the form of a forked red slingshot. • Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime – Federation of Antifascists (VVN-BdA, see above). • The Network of Communists (RdC, ) is a communist political movement network, founded in Bologna, Italy on 13 September 1998. • NIKA () was started in Germany in response to the rise of Germany's far-right party, the AfD (). • • Qassam Brigades () have used an inverted red triangle () in their propaganda videos since November 2023. The inverted red triangle was later included in the logo of their Military Media division. • Revolutionary Left () in Spain used a red wedge in their first logo. • (Territories of Memory) and (Red Triangle) are Belgian organisations who promote the use of the red triangle as a symbol of anti-fascism and anti-racism. (See also: ) File: ANED logo.svg | File: Logo rete dei comunisti.jpg | Network of Communists File: IzquierdaRevolucionarialogoantiguo.jpg | First logo of Revolutionary Left, Spain File: Logo of the Organisation of Communist Internationalists.svg | == The red triangle and red wedge in arts and media ==

Left-wing news and non-fiction • Searchlight use the red wedge in their current logo. • The ''People's History of Australia'' podcast uses a logo with a red wedge attacking a white map of Australia. Music • The British band Red Wedge reference Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge in their name. The competition in Iran was started as retaliation for Western cartoonists' depictions of the Prophet Muhammed and associated claims of "free speech", by choosing the topic Western audiences would find most offensive. • The Russian artist Sergei Bugaev produced an "Anti-Lissitzky" series at the end of the Cold War, between 1991 and 1995, which included several derivative works based on "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge". • (Red Wedge art and culture association) say their name is a coincidence. Fiction • A variant of the image by El Lissitzky is used as the logo for the "Peacekeepers" on Sci-Fi TV show Farscape. == See also ==