Bruno Kreisky Foundation

for Human Rights

1991 | 6th award

January 18th 1991
City Hall of Vienna
Award Winners

On July 29th 1990, Bruno Kreisky died after a long illness in Vienna. The family asked that donations go to the Bruno Kreisky Foundation for Human Rights. The Foundation received around € 60,000 (ATS 800,000). At the 6th award ceremony on January 18th 1991 at the Vienna City Hall, the largest number of award winners yet were honoured.

In line with the long standing emphasis on the fight against Apartheid, the Congress of South African Trade Unions was honoured, as was the Austrian Anti-Apartheid Movement, and Horst Kleinschmidt, General Secretary of the International Defence and Aid Fund for South Africa in London.

Prize winners from the Middle East were Yael Dayan, Faisal Husseini, the International Center for Peace in the Middle East, and Felicia Langer.

Felicia Langer and Alfred Ströer
Countess Marion Dönhoff in 1991 giving her laudatory speech.

In the context of the fight for human rights in Turkey and for the rights of the Kurds, Insan Haklari Dernegi, the Turkish Human Rights Association and Jalal Talabani were honoured. The award ceremony took place Within the context of the Second Gulf War (August 2nd 1990 – February 27th 1991). Both Feisal Husseini and Jalal Talabani had to cancel their participation at the award ceremony. Jalal Talabani was elected President of Iraq on April 6th 2005.

The long-standing emphasis on Central and South America was continued by focusing on the rights of indigenous peoples. Prize winners in this area were the leader of the indigenous people of Kayapoo, Paulinho Paiakan, and the bishop of Altamira, Erwin Kräutler.

Paulinho Paiakan, chief of the Kayapoo, as prize winner in 1991.

„The concept of freedom has not only a political but also a material dimension. In accordance with that, the free society should be so organised as to provide freedom from coercion and freedom from misery.“

Bruno Kreisky, Speech at the Alpbach Forum, September 3rd 1976

The Standing Committee for National Dialogue in El Salvador and the prominent Columbian human rights expert, diplomat, and politician Alfredo Vázquez Carrizosa also received awards.

The peaceful revolution in Eastern Europe fundamentally changed the human rights situation in Europe. Bärbel Bohley was honoured for her many years of struggle against human rights abuses under the DDR regime, and her engagement for the victims of judicial persecution by perpetrators of the Stasi regime. The Poznán Human Rights Center arose from the Polish civil rights movement and quickly developed into one of the most important centers for human rights' research in Eastern Europe.

Bärbel Bohley receiving the award from Alfred Ströer.
Rupert Neudeck receiving the prize from Alfred Ströer.
l. to r.: Alfred Ströer, Oliver Rathkolb, Liesl Frankl und Stefan August Lütgenau.

The human rights situation of migrants in Europe and worldwide continued to be of growing importance. In this area the Komitee Cap Anamur, the Social Services at Schwechat Airport, the Aid Committee for Refugees in Austria, the Association of Women's Solidarity and the journalist Liesl Frankl were honoured. Other award winners were the Society for Endangered Peoples Vienna, CARE Austria, the Austrian Red Cross and the Sciencestore of the University of Linz, Austria.