The Fifties

1
The Fifties

• German Youth after World War II

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Contents

• History and Backgrpound Information
• - Economic Boom - Dates - Film
• Conflicts
• - Conflicts among Parents
• - Conflicts between Parents and Children
• Ei
• - Music
• - Fashion
• Youth Movements - Yobs (Effects of the Economic
  Boom) - Extremist Examples - Ideals

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1. History

• 1945
• German Surrender
• Implementation of Occupied Zones in Germany
• Boogie Woogie crosses the Atlantic and inspires
  Germany

4
1. History

• 1946
• Foundation of  Freie Deutschen Jugend ,
  Forbidden since 1951, in its heyday about
• 100 000 members
• Work Camps for shirkers and scruffy persons under
  30

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1. History

• 1947
• International Conference on Reparations
• Bi- Zone (united trading zone consisting of the
  British and American occupied zones)
• Truman Doctrin (initiated by the American
  President for the global fight against Communism)
• Ploclamation of the Marshall-Plan (financial and
  material support of the USA for the
  reconstruction of Europe and Germany)
• Winter of Famine

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1. History

• 1948
• - Blockade of Berlin
• Start of the Marshall-Plan in the zones of the
  Western Allies
• Currency Reform (Deutsche Mark)
• Human Rights Declaration by the United Nations
• Many young people lack orientation and aims

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1. History

• 1949
• Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany
  becomes effective
• Elections for the 1st German National Parliament
• End of the Berlin Blockade
• Foundation of the Association for the Care of the
  Young
• Unification of all Associations for the Young

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1. History

• 1950
• UdSSR government declares the end of the return
  of German Prisoners of War
• Masterplan for the German Youth

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1. History

• 1951
• Termination of the state of war between the
  Western Allies and the Federal Republic of
  Germany
• The FRG joins the UNESCO
• Aktion Jugendschutz (represents and advocates
  the rights and needs of children and juveniles in
  public, works mainly in the fields of
  legislation, education and structual organisation)

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1. History

• 1952
• _ New National Anthem
• End of the Marshall- Plan
• Publication of the Study of Unemployment and Lack
  of Integration among Young People Unrelated
  Youths  by Curt Bondy and K. Eyferth

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1. History

• 1953
• General Elections
• Coalition Government under Chancellor Adenauer
• Law against the Publication of Texts that are
  dangerous for the Young Passed

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1. History

• 1954
• BRD Membership in the NATO
• Parliament passes Amendment of the Constitution
  (Rearmament)
• Another Study states deficiencies in Education
  and Employment of the Young

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1. Hisotry

• 1955
• First Recruitments of the Armed Forces
• Hallstein Doctrin (aims to prevent diplomatic
  acknowledgement of German Democratic Republic)
• Prohibition of special/lower wages for women
• First Incidents and Problems with Rowdies

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1. History

• 1956
• Ban on the Communist Party
• Hitlers Death officially stated
• Year of Yobo Riots, Awkward Age

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1. History

• 1957
• Talk on Arms Limitation between East and West
•  Göttinger Appell  against Nuclear Weapons
• 3rd General Elections
• Adenauer stays Chancellor
• Sputnikshock (political and public reaction in
  the USA and Western Europe on the development of
  space technology in the Soviet Union potential
  to threaten the USA with nuclear weapons)

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1. History

• 1958
• Discussion about Nuclear Weapons for the German
  Army
• Movement Fight the Nuclear Threat
• Rejection of Plebicit on Nuclear Armament
•  Juvenile Refugees 
• Young Germans Join the French Legion

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1. History

• 1959
• Full Employment Achieved
• Godesberg Agenda of the SPD
• Meeting of President Eisenhower and Chruschtschow
  in Camp David
• Termination of Care and other Aid Campaigns
• End of the early phase of Rock n Roll
• Rampaging Youngsters

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1. History

• 1960
• Protective Laws for Working Young People Passed
  

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1. History

• Economic Miracle ( 1955- 1963)
• End of Centralized Control of the Economy
• Currency reform ( 1948)
• Economy-friendly Laws
• 1959 economic Climax BRD is second on the List
  of Nations
• Reasons
• German Reconstruction
• Support by Marshall- Plan ( 1,4 Mrd )

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2. Conflicts among Parents

• Reasons
• Womens Selfreliance during the War
• Women take on more responsibility
• Women take over the former jobs of men

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2. Conflicts among Parents

• Consequences
• Less Authoritarian Education of the Young
• Many Men dont Accept the new Role of Women after
  their Return
• 18th June 1957 Bill on the Equality of Men and
  Women

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2. Conflicts between the Generations

• Reasons
• Wartrauma of the Fathers
• Source of Conflict Young People who were raised
  without many rules oppose their Fathers exerting
  a strict regiment
• Aversion of the Young to the Nazi Tradition

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2. Conflicts between the Generations

• Quotations
• Nach 2 Weltkriegen stehen wir nun vor einer
  Generation von gebrochenen Vaterautoritäten. Die
  heutige Jugend ist kritisch und skeptisch wie
  nie.

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Conflicts between the Generations

• Wohin soll das noch führen? Und wie können wir
  diesem Verhalten begegnen? Warum sucht die Jugend
  sich heute ihre Vorbilder lieber im Film und in
  der Musik statt daheim in der Familie, die
  verzweifelt versucht, die richtigen Wege
  aufzuzeigen? Ist es nicht die Familie, in der die
  Jugend häufig auch die Vorbilder finden kann? Ist
  die Leistung unserer Generation, Deutschland
  wieder aufgebaut zu haben, unserer Jugend wieder
  einen geordneten Lebensraum zu bieten, ist das
  nicht auch vorbildlich? Wer sich die Jugend heute
  anschaut, der muss einsehen nein, das reicht
  offenbar nicht. Wir müssen unserer Jugend heute
  mehr bieten als nur ein halbwegs funktionierendes
  Zuhause. Vielleicht sollten wir anfangen, uns mit
  Selbstkritik um ein Verständnis der Ursachen zu
  bemühen. Ursachen, die irgendwo in unserer
  scheinbar geordneten (Erwachsenen-) Welt liegen
  müssen.Denn wir wissen nicht, warum sie es
  tun, ein Kommentar des Redaktionsmitglieds
  Rainer Striewski

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3. Influences from America

• Background
• Huge American Influence in the field of Politics
  (Occupied Zones, Marshall-Plan)
• No Changes
• Easy Access for Young People to the USA

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3. Influences from America

• American Youth
• Riots
• Niggermusic, Rocknroll
• Dress Code Leather Jackets and Motorbikes

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3. Influences from America

• Effects on the German Young People
• Longing for Change
• Inspiration by the American Culture
• Adoption of Music Styles and Fashion
• Influence of American Role-models

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3. Influences from America

• Music
• Rocknroll
• Bill Haley
• Elvis Presley
• Film
• Filmstars were role-models
• James Dean (... sie wissen nicht, was sie tun)
• Marlon Brando ( Der Wilde- The Wild One)
• Other Aspects
• Clothes
• Motorbikes

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3. Einflüsse aus Amerika

• Zitat
• Von James Dean bis Horst Buchholz, sie alle
  zeigen den Jugendlichen Schaut her, wir sind
  wichtig und berühmt. Und wir sind, wie ihr sein
  wollt, wir sind ein Problem. Doch es genügt
  nicht, Hollywood und die Filmemacher für das
  Verhalten der Jugend verantwortlich zu machen.
  Vergessen darf man auch nicht die Musikindustrie,
  die ganz neue wilde Helden und damit Vorbilder
  für unsere Jugend- liefern. Allen voran der
  amerikanische Sänger Elvis Presley, den die
  Teenagers hierzulande geradezu frenetisch
  vergöttern. Vor 2 Jahren war Presley ein völlig
  Unbekannter. Und heute spricht ganz Amerika von
  dem 21jährigen. Während die einen seine Art, sich
  zu bewegen und sich selbst auf der Gitarre zu
  begleiten, als hoch erotisch bezeichnen, nennen
  es andere richtiger (!) obszön oder sogar
  vulgär. Man sollte der Jugend vor Augen führen
  Dieser junge Mann, der zweifellos ein Vorbild für
  unsere Jugend darstellt, hat in Wirklichkeit mit
  unserer Jugend nur sehr wenig gemein.Denn wir
  wissen nicht, warum sie es tun, ein Kommentar
  des Redaktionsmitglieds Rainer Striewski.

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4. Youth Movement
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4. Youth Movement

• Definition
• Yobos are juvenile offenders and shirkers
• Yobos are young people who gather in loitering
  groups and do stupid things
• The term yobo includes characteristics of their
  outward appearance, e.g. hairdo, tight trousers.
  Particular habits and manners and leisure
  activities define the group.

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4. Youth Movement

• Outwar Appearance
• Quiff
• Jeans
• Checked shirts and leather jackets
• Moped or Motorbike

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4. Youth Movement

• CharaceristicsMerkmale
• Deliberate Separation from Society by
• Meeting in parks and public squares
• Rocknroll

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4. Youth Movement

• American Role Models
• Marlon Brando
• James Dean
• German Role Models
• Horst Buchholz
• Karin Baal

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4. Youth Movement

• Marlon Brando James Dean

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4. Youth Movement

• Extremists
• Extremist yobos fight with the police, rampage
  e.g. after concerts in their villages and towns
  
• Riots are discussed in politics and the media
  
• Yobos just amount to only 5 percent of all young
  people of the 50s.
• 1956 after some serious riots a bill is passed
  that only allows the use of motorbikes as a means
  of transport. Riding just for fun is punished.

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4. Youth Movement

• Ideals
• Opposition against traditional norms
• Protest against the attitude No Changes
• Protests against the boring and bleak society