The first local branches of the RFB were established in July 1924. The group's inaugural nationwide meeting was held in February 1925 in Berlin, where was elected to lead the federal committee. ('The Red Front') was the newspaper of the RFB. The greeting of () while giving a clenched fist salute gave rise to the expression , often used among friends and foes to refer to the organization instead of its full title. The clenched fist "protecting the friend, fighting off the enemy" () was the symbol of the RFB, used on all its insignia, and its registered trademark since 1 March 1926. In May 1926, during a flag parade, activists used it as a sign of rallying to the movement and as an oath to defend the USSR.