Dapprich, Matthias (2013) The historical development of West Germany’s new left from a politico-theoretical perspective with particular emphasis on the Marxistische Gruppe and Maoist K- Gruppen. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/4692/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] The$Historical$Development$of$West$Germany’s$New$ Left$from$a$Politico<theoretical$Perspective$with$ Particular$Emphasis$on$the$Marxistische+Gruppe+and$ Maoist$K0Gruppen$ by$ $ $ Matthias+Dapprich+ $ $ $ $ $ Submitted$in$fulfilment$of$the$requirements$for$the$degree$of$ Doctor$of$Philosophy$ $ $ $ School&of&Humanities& & College&of&Arts& $ University$of$Glasgow$ $ $ $ March$2013& & & & & &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&©&Matthias&Dapprich&2013& ii Abstract$ There is a gap in the existing literature as to why the New Left in West Germany entered a phase of rapid decline by the end of the 1970s. The overarching aim of this thesis is to offer a politico-theoretical explanation for the historical development of the New Left and why the ‘red decade’ between 1967 and 1976/7 ended so abruptly. Within this context, the thesis will focus on the Maoist K-Gruppen and particular emphasis will be placed on the Marxistische Gruppe, which defied the general decline of West Germany’s New Left and developed into its largest organisation during the 1980s. Furthermore, the Red Cells movement will be analysed from which both currents emerged in the wake of the student movement. Key works of the Marxistische Gruppe will be analysed with particular emphasis on politico-theoretical aspects. The analysis of the group’s theoretical work will provide a better understanding of the New Left’s historical developments against the background of the changing political environment. This thesis will conclude with reflections on developments of the radical left after the collapse of the New Left in 1989/91 and how the red decade’s legacy is still prominent in the work of the Gegenstandpunkt publishing house (the Marxistische Gruppe’s ideological successor). In conclusion, this thesis will reveal that the influence of politico-theoretical aspects on the historical development of the New Left has been given too little consideration and that the New Left’s fate cannot be adequately explained by external factors, but demands the consideration of the very development of theories and the practical conclusions organisations reached regarding their social, economic and cultural circumstances. This work will be the first to provide an insight into the potential of such a theoretical explanation for an understanding of the specific developments of the post-1968 West German New Left. iii Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my main supervisors, Dr Maud Bracke and Dr Myrto Tsakatika, who provided me with the opportunity to master this project, and with it, review a very interesting aspect of modern German history. Thanks also to Dr Karin Bowie for her valuable comments during the annual progress review. Special thanks to the respective archives in Berlin, Duisburg and Munich, for their help during the data collection process. Klaus-Dieter Betz and Ilona Ellefsen in Berlin, Dr Jürgen Bacia in Duisburg, and Bärbel Köhler in Munich, assisted me greatly. Thanks also to Jürgen Schröder and the online project Materialien zur Außerparlamentarischen Opposition, which provided me with many valuable resources. I would also like to thank my academic mentors in Bremen, without whose comments on previous versions on this thesis, this work would not have been possible. Thank you for the interesting discussions and provision of useful literature. I would particularly like to thank Esther for her critical comments and advice. Additionally, I am grateful to the interviewees, who sacrificed their effort and time to provide data for this thesis in the final stage of its completion. I would like to thank my family for their support during these last 4 years. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Crawford family in Cardigan, Pessac and Hinsdale for their diverse help during the compilation of this work. Chopping my way through the undergrowth of the English language would not have been possible without your help during this time. Lastly and most importantly, I would like to thank Megan for sacrificing her time and effort at different stages of this work, partially even during the completion of her own PhD thesis. The journey is not always its own reward. After all these years, we can finally look forward! iv Author’s$Declaration$ I declare that, except when explicit reference is made to the contribution of others, this thesis is the result of my own work and has not been submitted for any other degree at the University of Glasgow or any other institution. Signature: Print name: Matthias Dapprich v List$of$abbreviations$ AB Arbeiterbund für den Wiederaufbau der KPD, Workers League for the Reestablishment of the KPD ABG Arbeiter-Basis-Gruppen, Workers Action Groups AfaS Archiv für alternatives Schrifttum, Duisburg APO Außerparlamentarische Opposition, extra-parliamentary opposition APO-Archiv Archiv der Außerparlamentarischen Opposition an der Freien Universität Berlin, Berlin BStU Bundesbeauftragter für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former GDR BWK Bund Westdeutscher Kommunisten, League of West German Communists CCP Chinese Communist Party DGB Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, German Federation of Trade Unions DKP Deutsche Kommunistische Partei, German Communist Party FAU/R Freie Arbeiter-Union/Rätekommunisten, Free Workers- Union/Council Communists FRG Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Federal Republic of Germany GDR Deutsche Demokratische Republik, German Democratic Republic GIM Gruppe Internationaler Marxisten, Group of International Marxists GSP Gegenstandpunkt publishing house GSPQ GegenStandpunkt – Political Quarterly KBW Kommunistischer Bund Westdeutschlands, Communist League of West Germany KB Kommunistischer Bund, Communist League KHB (ML) Kommunistischer Hochschulbund (Marxisten/ Leninisten), Communist Higher Education League (Marxists/Leninists) KPD Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, Communist Party of Germany KPD/AO Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands/Aufbauorganisation, Communist Party of Germany/ Setup Organisation KPD/ML Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands/Marxisten-Leninisten, Communist Party of Germany/ Marxists-Leninists KSB Kommunistischer Studentenbund, Communist Student League (student organisation of the KBW) KSV Kommunistischer Studentenverband, Communist Student Organisation (student organisation of the KPD/AO) KSZ Kommunistische Studentenzeitung, Communist Student Paper KVZ Kommunistische Volkszeitung, Communist People’s Paper LCW Lenin Collected Works MECW Marx Engels Collected Works MfS Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, Ministry of State Security of the GDR (a.k.a. Stasi) MG Marxistische Gruppe, Marxist Group MG/EN Marxistische Gruppe/Erlangen-Nürnberg, Marxist Group/ Erlangen-Nuremberg MG/tf Marxistische Gruppe/theoriefraktion, Marxist Group/ theory faction MHZ Marxistische Hochschulzeitung, Marxist Higher Education Paper ML Marxism-Leninism vi MLPD Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands, Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany MSB Spartakus Marxistischer Studentenbund Spartakus, Marxist Student League Spartacus (student organisation affiliated with the DKP) MSZ (1970-7/1974) Münchener Studentenzeitung, Munich Student Paper MSZ (10/1974-1979) Marxistische Studentenzeitung, Marxist Student Paper MSZ (1980-1991) Marxistische Streit- und Zeitschrift ― Gegen die Kosten der Freiheit, Marxist Pamphlet and Magazine ― Opposing the Costs of Freedom MZ (1983) Marxistische Zeitung, Marxist Paper NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation PDS Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, Party of Democratic Socialism RAF Rote Armee Fraktion, Red Army Faction RC Republikanischer Club, Republican Club RCDS Ring christlich-demokratischer Studenten, Association of Christian Democratic Students RK Revolutionärer Kampf, Revolutionary Struggle RL Radikale Linke, Radical Left RZ Rote Zellen, Red Cells RZ/AK Rote Zellen/Arbeitskonferenz, Red Cells/ Working Conference SB Sozialitisches Büro, Socialist Bureau SDS Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund, Socialist German Student League SDS/US Students for a Democratic Society SED Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, Socialist Unity Party of Germany SEW Sozialitische Einheitspartei Westberlins, Socialist Unity Party of West Berlin SPD Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, Social Democratic Party of Germany Stasi Ministerium für Staatssicherheit der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Ministry of State Security of the GDR SWP Socialist Workers Party (United Kingdom) taz German left-wing daily newspaper tz Tageszeitung (Munich), daily newspaper UK United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland US United States of America WASG Wahlalternative: