Protest and Memory: how contemporary protests in Germany relate to the ‘long 1960s’ in West and East-Germany

The project Protest and Memory forms part of the international project LIVINGMEMORIES (ERA.Net RUS Plus, 7th Framework Programme of the EU), which explores and compares difficult memories related with conflicts and protest movements in six countries. The German project analyses memories of the ‘long 1960s’ protests in West and East-Germany. The project explores in particular how present day protests in Germany – both left and right-wing – relate to this contentious past. How do they remember this time and how far does this differ from public memories?  How do they relate their current activities to this past?  

The long 1960s in Germany mark a period of unrest, violence, and civil disobedience. While more than 40 years ago, these protests remain an emotive issue in the German public discourse till today. Retrospect interpretations of this period range from idealization to demonization. While the protests of the long 60s have received much scholarly attention (particularly the protests in Western Germany), analyses of memory work related to this period are largely missing – in particular research about memory work in contemporary social movements. The project aimed to close this research gap drawing on media analysis, interviews with activists and participant observation.  

The project was conducted in cooperation with the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main.