opposition and control

• when the younger generation came of age in 1960s they began to confront FRG regime
• german education system faced shortages in funding and resources
• german students became frustrated at lack of representation in higher education
• 'new left' - socialism
• soicalist german students union were radically left wing
• issues students protested against were the US' role in vietnam war and rise in nuclear arms
• left wing protests were at their peak in 1968 , 1968 held promise of political , social and sexual liberation
• in west germany , the leader of the socialist german students union , Rudi Dutschke , was killed - sparked outrage and huge protests
• because of the student protests , society spilt between the older generation and the younger generation - student movement unable to gain widespread support
• following 1968 , student movement lost traction
• RAF was a radical left wing group
• RAF opposed capitalism in west germany
• RAF used terrorism (bombings , kidnapping and assassinations) , murdered 28 people , in April 1977 FRG's Attorney General , Siegried Buback was assassinated
• RAFs dissolved in 1998
• The Green Party was a political alternative from CDU and SPD
• aims of the Green Party:

  • social justice
  • non violence
  • ecological wisdom
  • grassroots democracy - political processes driven by normal ciizens
• green party campaigned against use of nuclear arms and NATO's use of military action
• green party believed in pacifism and some argue that the decline in extremism in west germany can be attributed to the green party
• after ww2 there was a resurgence in nazism
• in 1981 , study in west germany revealed that 13% of their survey group has right wing sympathies
• main far-right group was socialist reich party
• in 1964 , neo-nazi groups joined to become the Nationalist democratic party (NDP)
• the NDP didn't ever gain 5% of the vote in order to enter the Bundestag but did have success in regional elections
• german army disbanded following ww2
• after ww2 , nazi party was banned and allies tried removing Nazis from positions of importance , such as education and government
• nazis were most qualified for key positions so removing them after ww2 removed many skilled workers
• by 1951 , 94% of judges and prosecutors in Bavaria were former Nazis
• germany presented themselves as victims of nazis , Allies put up posters saying 'this is your fault'
• Stolperstein project , bega in 1992 , installed 75,000 stone and brass plaques over the next 28 years , to commeorate victims to the Nazi regime at places they lived before Nazi persecution
• Britian and France focused on rebuilding Germany and left many Nazis unpunished
• Soviet Union took advantage of denazification to install their own pro-communist officals into former Nazi positions
• US wanted to severely punish all Nazis , impractical as it damaged Germany's economies , relaxed policies and led to economic improvements
• following Hitler , many welcomed democracy
• Democracy first developed in west germany in allied zones
• west germany's economic recovery led to stability in Germany and support for Adenauer's government , improvements in living conditions , democracy linked to capitalist economy
• support for democracy shown through high turnout rates in election , 78.5% IN 1949 to 91.1% in 1972
• between 1940s and 60s , extremism recieved minimal support
• CDU's conservative position meant that many protestants supported party , its catholic heritage meant many catholics supported party
• support for CDU ranged from 31% in 1949-50.2% in 1957
• SPD gained support from working class , didn't get much support as they had a socialist agenda - to get more support , more towards centre