The following essay is supposed to follow the question “How and why was the
intelligentsia important for the West German student movement”. It is primarily
essential to clarify two significant points in order to answer this question. Firstly, in
contrast to popular thought there was never such thing as one solid West German
student movement. There were always different –partly opposite- student groups.
The spectrum of the student movement embraced groups of various political
persuasions, “ranging from the [conservative, R.E.] Christian Democrats, to the
Liberal students, the more moderate socialist students (S.H.B.) and the radical
socialist federation of students (S.D.S.).”1
To simplify matters it is necessary to reduce the complexity of all these groups. The
SDS (Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund) was undisputedly the most important
group of the student movement, having occupied the leading role in the student
protests. Besides, most discussions and intellectual approaches started within the
SDS or within its numerous organisations.2 Though, it offers to reduce the concept of
West German student movement to the SDS for reasons of practicability. [...]
1 Weller/Will v.d., 52
2 Langguth, 36
How and why was the intelligentsia important for the West German student movement?
Introduction
The following essay is supposed to follow the question “How and why was the intelligentsia important for the West German student movement”. It is primarily essential to clarify two significant points in order to answer this question. Firstly, in contrast to popular thought there was never such thing as one solid West German student movement. There were always different –partly opposite- student groups. The spectrum of the student movement embraced groups of various political persuasions, “ranging from the [conservative, R.E.] Christian Democrats, to the Liberal students, the more moderate socialist students (S.H.B.) and the radical socialist federation of students (S.D.S.).”[1]
To simplify matters it is necessary to reduce the complexity of all these groups. The SDS (Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund) was undisputedly the most important group of the student movement, having occupied the leading role in the student protests. Besides, most discussions and intellectual approaches started within the SDS or within its numerous organisations.[2] Though, it offers to reduce the concept of West German student movement to the SDS for reasons of practicability. Secondly, the questions suggest that there was a disproportionate relationship between intelligentsia and students – as it implies that only students benefited from the intelligentsia. But there was a mutual relationship between intelligentsia and the students. Furthermore, students became an important part for and even of the intelligentsia in the turmoil of the worldwide student protests.
The essay begins with the reasons why the intelligentsia was important for the student movement and which ideas were conceived, later on follows a short representation of the problems which are caused by the strong relationship between West German students and the intelligentsia. A conclusion of the results brings the essay to the end. It is important to notice that this essay does not try to give an overview of the West German student movement, important events or all picked up theories. The main goal is to explain why, and in a generalized way, which theories and thinkers were important for the West German students.
[...]
[1] Weller/Will v.d., 52
[2] Langguth, 36
- Citation du texte
- Roman Esser (Auteur), 2004, How and why was the intelligentsia important fpr the West German student movement?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/21845
