Germany had also its participation in 1968 wave of protests!

 Dutschke talks during protest

Germany had also a wave of protests in 1968. The students, who started a series of manifestations against the educational official policy two years before, were outraged since the assassination of Benno Ohnesorg, a leader of the movement who was killed by a policeman during a manifestation. In 1968, at Easter, there was anattempted assassination of Rudi Dutschke, another important leader of the movement.

This violence caused a lot of protests. Students all over Germany organized manifestations, and the police tried to contain them. As a result, 400 people were injured and two were killed.  The biggest protest happened in Bonn, the capital of West Germany, where 80,000 people participated of a demostrantion. One of their gurus was the philosopher Herbert Marcuse.

However, the students were not united. There were a lot of little groups but not an unity and the movement soon lost its strength. But the 1968 movement had a lot of effects for the country.  Four years later, for example, the government felt free to prevent the employment in public services of people who did not support the democratic principles. In other words, Nazis – as the student movement demanded.

The 1968 movement had also influence in the political scenario. Some of the most important ministers during Gerhard Schroder government (1998-2005) were student activists in 1968.

And people also say that the movement impacted also Pope Benedict XVI, who was professor of Theology in 1968 and reacted heavily against the students manifestation. According to this version, the movement  made the nowadays Pope even more conservative.

 

Herbert Marcuse (left, in white shirt) speak to students