opps Flashcards
(21 cards)
Who were the SDS and what were their goals?
was originally part of the SPD but was expelled. It led the 1960s student protest movement, demanding university reform, opposing Vietnam War, and challenging authoritarianism in society.
What was the APO and what did it stand for?
The APO (Extra-Parliamentary Opposition) emerged in the 1960s as a response to the lack of political opposition in the Bundestag (due to the Grand Coalition). It mainly consisted of students and intellectuals.
What was the Red Army Faction (RAF), and what did it believe?
Also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group, the RAF was a left-wing terrorist group formed in 1970. It opposed capitalist society and US imperialism, and used bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings.
Name a key RAF attack and its impact.
The 1977 ‘German Autumn’—a wave of RAF attacks including the kidnapping and murder of Hanns-Martin Schleyer. It shocked the public and led to increased state surveillance and crackdown on radical groups.
How did the government respond to RAF terrorism?
Introduced strict anti-terrorism laws
Created a centralised police database
Imprisoned RAF members under isolation
Used public information campaigns to delegitimise the RAF
What was the significance of the Green Party (Die Grünen)?
Founded in 1980, it emerged from environmental, peace, and anti-nuclear movements. It represented a non-violent, democratic opposition and later became a major political party.
By how much did the SPD membership grow between 1945 and 1950?
It grew from 200,000 in 1945 to 800,000 by 1950, showing strong support for moderate socialism within democratic frameworks—not radical opposition.
What percentage of young people supported student protests in 1968?
Around 92% of students in a 1968 West Berlin poll supported the student movement’s aims, although not all backed violent action.
How many members did the RAF (Red Army Faction) have at its peak?
The RAF never had more than 30 core members, but it had a broader network of supporters (~200–300 people).
How many people died due to RAF terrorism?
RAF attacks caused the deaths of 34 people and injured over 200 between 1970 and 1993.
What was public support for RAF tactics in the 1970s?
Very low. A 1971 poll showed that over 90% of West Germans rejected the RAF’s use of violence.
How many participated in anti-nuclear protests in the early 1980s?
Over 250,000 people protested at Bonn in 1981 against NATO’s decision to station nuclear missiles in West Germany.
How successful was the Green Party in federal elections?
In the 1983 Bundestag election, the Greens won 5.6% of the vote and gained 27 seats, entering parliament for the first time.
what was the vietnam war
A conflict between North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (anti-communist), lasting from 1955–1975.
The USA backed South Vietnam to stop the spread of communism (as part of the Cold War containment strategy).
how many uni students held an anti war protest in 1968
2,500
how many students in 1968 protested against the vietnam war
12,000
what did george picht write
an article argueing that education was in a state of crisis
how did the gov react to george pitchs article
5 new uni’s were founded
What was the Lufthansa Flight 181 hijacking?
The Palestinian group PFLP, in support of the RAF, hijacked a German plane to pressure the FRG into releasing RAF prisoners.
How did the German government respond to plane hijacking
Chancellor Helmut Schmidt refused to negotiate with terrorists. The elite GSG 9 unit stormed the hijacked plane in Mogadishu, rescuing all 86 hostages.
What was the impact of the German Autumn?
Public opinion turned firmly against the RAF
Justified a major security crackdown: surveillance, data collection, tighter laws
Marked the decline of RAF’s influence
