The KPÖ saves Béla Kun

[Kun Béla AltHist]

It's 1919 Austria April 17, unlike in our history the communist coup in Austria, sponsored by Béla Kun's Hungarian Soviet Republic, is successful. However the Austrian social democrats only give up power under the condition that they enter a coalition with the communists, similar to the social democrats in Hungary so that the social democrats have the majority, but the communists hold the important Commission (ministries). After setting up the communist government, the Austrian Soviet Republic is officially declared.

Due to the collapse of the Hungarian frontline against Romania on April 18 the Austrian Red army arriving on the 20th, is unable to help their Hungarian comrades. But while this is happening, the Czechoslovaks invade a significant portion of northern/northeastern Hungary and northern Austria up to the Danube by March 3. This causes the Austrians to retreat from Hungary and prepare a counter-attack, along with the Hungarians.
This counter-attack starts on March 6, on this day northern Linz(Aus), northern Wien(Aus) and Krems an der Donau(Aus) are liberated. Salgótarján(Hun) and Dunaszerdahely(Hun) is recaptured on the 7th. Miskolc(Hun), Balassagyarmat(Hun), Sárospatak(Hun) and Freistadt(Aus) are liberated on the 9th. On the 10th Zwettil(Aus), Hollabrunn(Aus), Kazincbarcika(Hun), Érsekújvár(Hun) and Sátoraljaújhely(Hun) are the next to be recaptured. Ózd(Hun) is recaptured on the 11th along with Horn(Aus).
The rest of the important battles are Ceske Budejovice(Aus) on the 18th, Kosice/Kassa(Hun) and Nyitra(Hun) on the 20th, Presov/Eperjes(Hun) on the 22nd, Brno(Aus) on the 25th, Zlina/Zsolna(Hun), and Prague on the 30th. After the capture of Prague, Czechoslovakia capitulates, but fighting doesn't end. The last Czechoslovak forces surrender on June 21. Austria seizes the Sudetenland and puppets the Czechoslovak Soviet Republic, but the Ruthenian Soviet Republic becomes Hungary's puppet.
The crossing of the Tisza occurs on June 26. Debrecen is captured on August 2, Cluj/Kolozsvár falls on the 21st, and Brasov on September 18. Along with this, the Russians invade Besssarabia on the June 28 and reach Chisnau on August 1, and Iasi on the August 20. Bucharest is captured on October 7, all three armies fighting for the Romanian capital. Romania and Moldova become SSRs of Soviet Russia, Hungary seizes Kolozsvár and Székelyland, and puppets the Transylvanian Soviet Republic
Between October 10-24 a smaller war breaks out between Yugoslavia, Austria and Hungary. The result of this war is that Yugoslavia gains control of the Banat, while Hungary gains the Drávaköz, and Muraköz/Prekmurje. Austria also gains control of the german-majority northern Slovenia.

When in 1922 the USSR is declared the Austrians, Hungarians and their puppets don't join. Instead they declare the Danubian Federation of Socialist Soviet Republics (DFSSR). Capital: Budapest and Wien, Currency: Danubian Krone/Korona (about 2-3 USD).
When Stalin comes to power in the USSR, the DFSSR's leadership opposes his policies. The communists oppose him because of Lenin's testament and Stalin's unleninist policies, the social democrats oppose him because of dictatoric and tyrannic policies.

What happens next, I leave it to the comments.

 

[Pera]

It seems to me not possible that the other European powers would accept in 1919 a Communist Austria, in concert with communist Hungary invading and conquering new countries established at Versailles. It would be the two biggest nightmares for the other European countries combined: Austria-Hungary restauration and communist revolution.

 

[Kun Béla AltHist]

It seems to me not possible that the other European powers would accept in 1919 a Communist Austria, in concert with communist Hungary invading and conquering new countries established at Versailles. It would be the two biggest nightmares for the other European countries combined: Austria-Hungary restauration and communist revolution.

In my opinion not, since they just stopped fighting a World War their people doesn't want a new war. Also how do they get to them? Germany probably won't allow Entent troops to enter. Yugoslavia has settled the borders and the DFFSR is protected by river lines. Another reason is that, the DFFSR is protected by Soviet Russia, later the USSR until 1924, and by that time even the Entent governments are pacifists to.

 

[Sam R.]

It's 1919 Austria

I was hoping the KPÖ would save him in 1937…

When Stalin comes to power in the USSR, the DFSSR's leadership opposes his policies. The communists oppose him because of Lenin's testament and Stalin's unleninist policies, the social democrats oppose him because of dictatoric and tyrannic policies.

This is a bit liberal-bourgeois idealist and great man regarding history. Both the USSR and DFSSR have reverted to wage labour societies. Unlike the USSR the DFSSR is faced with horrific internal class conflict over the 1920s over the supply of food. In the USSR this only came to a head in 1928/9 as USSR urban proles were willing to tolerate much lower living standards due to the brutality of the Russian Civil War. In contrast in the DFSSR the greater market integration in food supply means that peasant labour withdrawal will result in urban unrest sooner.

Also what's Lukacs up to?

 

[ArtosStark]

Germany probably won't allow Entent troops to enter

To deal with a scary communist superstate on their southern border? Yes they probably would. So would Italy. So would Yugoslavia. So, probably, would Bulgaria and Romania and Poland.

The Entente put 250,000 troops between them into Russia. How much more justifiable would troop deployments be to deal with a communist state much closer to home that was actively breaking the terms of the peace they had just won?

 

[Quig]

Communist parties terrified the middle classes of Europe. Thaelmann was a important contributor to the Nazis coming to power. His treatment from the Nazi regime doesn't alter that.