Spaßguerilla

The spassguerilla (fun guerrilla) was a grouping within the student protest movement of the 1960s in Germany that agitated for social change, in particular for a more libertarian, less authoritarian, and less materialistic society, using tactics characterized by disrespectful humour and provocative and disruptive actions of a minimally violent nature. Events organized by the groups included such actions as attacking politicians or the police with custard pies. [cite journal | last = Teune | first = Simon | title = Humour as a Guerrilla Tactic: The West German Student Movement's Mockery of the Establishment | journal = International Review of Social History | volume = Volume 52 | pages = pp 115-132 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | date = 2007-11-21 | url = http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=1436104 | doi = 10.1017/S002085900700315X | accessdate = 2008-07-25 ] One of the main proponents was Fritz Teufel, sometimes referred to as the political clown of the Extraparliamentary Opposition. The lack of respect for traditional, "bourgeois", "repressive" forms of authority and ritual, countered by irony and humour was typified by Fritz Teufel's reply, when told to stand for the judge at a trial: "If it helps the search for the truth" ("Wenn es der Wahrheitsfindung dient").

The tactics and attitudes of this grouping including Fritz Teufel were in contrast to the more serious, revolutionary rhetoric and actions of other groups centred around the SDS and figures like Rudi Dutschke. [cite book | last = Fitz | first = Birgit | title = Die Konstruktion der Vergangenheit am Beispiel Rudi Dutschke.: Eine vergleichende Inhaltsanalyse der Zeitungen "Bild" und "Der Spiegel" (Studienarbeit)
pages = p 17 | publisher = GRIN Verlag | year = 2008|isbn=3638917711 ]

The tactics of the spassguerilla were characterized by civil disobedience, symbolic (rather than real) violence, provocation of authority, using actions of the "authoritarian" state, such as trials, as opportunities for "unmasking" outdated traditions.cite web | last = Walther | first = Rudolf | title = Ein direkter Weg von der Spassguerilla zum Terrorismus? Aktions- und Gewaltformen in der Protestbewegung | work=68: Jahre der Rebellion | publisher = Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung | date = 2008-06-06 | url = http://www.bpb.de/themen/PAG98D.html | accessdate = 2008-07-25 ]

It was Wolfgang Lefèvre who said that every event or demonstration should be planned so as to be fun for the participants.

While Rudi Dutschke talked of a "Stadtguerilla" (urban guerrilla), Fritz Teufel talked of a "Spassguerilla" (fun guerrilla).

The forms of provocative and disruptive protest invented by the spassguerilla were later adopted by the peace movement of the 1980s [cite book |first=Dieter | last=Rucht | editor = David S. Meyer and Sidney Tarrow | chapter = The Structure and Culture of Collective Protest | title = The Social Movement Society: Contentious Politics for a New Century
publisher = Rowman & Littlefield | year = 1997
location =
pages = p54, p56 (note 24)
isbn =0847685411 ] and later by youth protest movements in the reunified Germany. [cite book|editor=Sabine Andresen and Karin Bock | last = Bock | first = Karin | coauthors = Nicole Pfaff | title = Vereintes Deutschland--geteilte Jugend: Ein politisches Handbuch |chapter=Jugendkulturen in der neuen Bundesrepublik| publisher = VS Verlag | year = 2003 | pages = p 111 | isbn = 3810035602]

Similar forms of disruption have also been adopted by Cyberspace activists ("hacktivists" ). [cite book | last = Teubener | first = Katy | chapter= Flanieren als Protestbewegung | title = Forschungsfeld Politik: geschlechtskategoriale Einführung in die Sozialwissenschaften|editor=Cilja Harders, Heike Kahlert, Delia Schindler
publisher = VS Verlag | year = 2005 | pages = p 302 | isbn = 3810040746]

The word "Spassguerilla"

The word "Spassguerilla" itself is interesting. Though the normal German spelling is "Spaßguerilla", it was spelled "Spassguerilla" by Fritz Teufel and this therefore became known as the "teuflische Schreibweise" (a pun meaning either "Teufelian" spelling or "diabolical spelling"; "Teufel" in German means devil). This spelling is retained by some, including academics (see references). The use of "ss" rather than "ß" implies a short "a" sound, making the word more like "Stadtguerilla" (urban guerrilla), a term used by Rudi Dutschke.

References

ee also

Kommune 1