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
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Why and How?
3. Problems
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the historical, political, and social reasons why the intelligentsia played such a critical role in shaping the West German student movement during the 1960s, while also examining the consequences of this deep intellectual reliance.
- The historical impact of the Nazi past on student consciousness.
- The influence of the Frankfurter Institut für Sozialforschung on political thought.
- The impact of the Grand Coalition on student political alienation.
- The tension between abstract intellectual theories and practical social movements.
- The socio-economic background of the students as a factor for post-materialist interests.
Excerpt from the Book
Why and How?
It is not possible to point out one single reason for the importance of the intelligentsia for the West German student movement. There are general, historical, domestic and even international reasons to explain the strong linkage between students and intelligentsia in West Germany. This connection was not as strong in the rest of Europe.
First of all it should be clear that students in general are more likely to be influenced by the intelligentsia than any other societal group. It is occupational part of student’s life to be concerned with the main “products” of the intelligentsia – political thought, normative theories and ideology. However, this explanation is not strong enough to explain the unique impact of the intelligentsia on West German students as students in nearly all countries are regarded as particularly politicised.
An important factor can be seen in Germany’s recent history and the West German way to cope –or even not- with the heritage of the Nazi sway. Students were indefatigable searching for the conditions which allowed transforming the democratic Weimar Republic in Hitler’s totalitarian Third Reich. Students began to read the works of the scholars of the Frankfurter Institut für Sozialforschung. The theorem of the Authoritarian State by Horkheimer and Benjamin; and Adorno’s socio psychological studies about the authoritarian personality were fascinating the West German students.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes the scope of the essay, defining the student movement primarily through the lens of the SDS and outlining the mutual relationship between students and intellectuals.
2. Why and How?: This chapter analyzes the historical, domestic, and international factors, including the confrontation with the Nazi past and the influence of critical theory, that drove the strong connection between students and the intelligentsia.
3. Problems: This section discusses the negative consequences of the movement's intellectualism, specifically the alienation from the working class and the loss of practical, reality-oriented political goals.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, highlighting the importance of the movement's engagement with Germany’s history while criticizing the overly abstract nature of its later theoretical pursuits.
Keywords
West German student movement, SDS, intelligentsia, Frankfurt School, Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Nazi heritage, Grand Coalition, New Left, political alienation, student protests, post-materialism, critical theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines the reasons behind the strong reliance of the West German student movement on the intelligentsia and the theoretical ideas they provided during the 1960s.
What are the central themes discussed?
Key themes include the impact of Germany's Nazi past, the intellectual vacuum of the post-war era, the influence of the Frankfurt School, and the political disappointment caused by the Grand Coalition.
What is the core research question?
The work aims to explain "How and why" the intelligentsia was of such fundamental importance to the West German student movement.
Which methodology is utilized?
The essay utilizes a historical and socio-political analysis, drawing on literature to explain the connection between political theory and the student protests.
What does the main body cover?
It details the intellectual, historical, and domestic political factors that shaped the students' worldview, followed by a critical assessment of the problems arising from this relationship.
What characterises this work's terminology?
The work is characterized by terms related to social movements, critical theory, and the specific historical context of the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1960s.
How did the Grand Coalition affect the students?
The students perceived the Grand Coalition as a lack of parliamentary opposition, which forced them to seek alternative political and ideological orientations outside the established parties.
Why did the movement struggle to maintain public support?
The movement suffered because the language used by student leaders became increasingly abstract and disconnected from the realities of the common people and the working class.
- Quote paper
- Roman Esser (Author), 2004, How and why was the intelligentsia important fpr the West German student movement?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/21845
