Germany in the 60s

Politic situation• Germany was divided into two parts →direct collision of capitalism and

communism• endindg of the „Adenauer-era“ →new politizication →protest movements especially by

the Youth

Elysée-Treaty

• 22 january 1963

• the German chancellor Konrad Adenauer and the French president Charels de Gaulles signed the Elysée-Treaty• Amelioration of the French-German relation and collaboration

Kennedy visits Berlin

• 26 June 1963

• first visit of an American president since the wall was built• his speech was an expression of his solditarity to Berlin and the FRG

Ludwig Erhard

• is regarded as the father of the market economy→ leitmotif „prosperty for everone“

• 1963-1966: chancellor of the FRG

Students‘ movements/ Peace movements

Main aims:

• rethinking of old principles

• renew of social structures

Critisism of:

• the old univerity and colllege system

• the grand coalition

• the missing analysis of the NS-past

• the Vietnam War

APO/SDSSDS (The Socialist German Student Organisation)

• follower of the SPD

• developed into a left-wing orientated and anti-authoritarian organisation with anarchistic ideals

• demonstrated against the Vietnam War, the emergency laws, the Springer press and the formation of the grand coalition

• 1965: Rudi Dutschke was elected to its political council in Berlin → proclaimed the formation of the APO (The Outer-Parlamentary Opposition)

• forms of protests: demonstration , “Sit-ins”

Commune 1

• foundation in Berlin in 1967• idea of a new living together →equality of man, woman, child• organization of actions: „Pudding-attempt“• later: change of their attitudes• robbery→dissolving

Death of Benno Ohnesorg

• 2nd June 1967

• was shot during a demonstration against the dictator of Persia

• his unjustified death led to enormous reactions as people became aware of the abuse of power by the state

Women‘s movementaims:• equality

• participation and responsibility in politics, economy

and administration

• equality of wages

• equal educational opportunities

• ending of the gender-specific division of labour

• liberty of sex

methods:• demonstrations

• organizations

• fashion

Peace movements• Hippies :- disapproved hierarchical and autothoritan structures→ friendship, solidarity, tolerance, freedom from violence→ protests against the Vietnam War

Consequences• no real success due to the incompetence of students to

stimulate the whole population

• BUT: - trigger of many political developments and peace movements- proof for social engagement

• formation of the RAF

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