1968 in Europe: A History of Protest and Activism, 1956–1977

by Martin Klimke, J. Scharloth

A concise reference for researchers on the protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s, this book covers the history of the various national protest movements, the transnational aspects of these movements, and the common narratives and cultures of memory surrounding them.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

344 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2007

Reviews

[Craig Werner · Rating 2 out of 5]

It would be generous to call this collection of essays on the Left in Europe during the "Long Sixties"--the writers use '68 as a shorthand--"uneven." A large majority of the essays, most of which focus on specific themes or nations, bog down in the sort of sociologically-inflected jargon that infected both contemporary political discussions during the period and, even more balefully, graduate seminar rooms for decades following them. The editors apparently imposed a rigid structure on each of the writers, with sections on "Social and Political Framework of the Century," "Organizational and Social Structure of the Protest Movement," "Cognitive Orientation of the Movement" (and blah blah blah). Often the writers assume familiarity with both Marxist vocabulary and with details of local history. It's an excellent topic for a book, but this isn't it. If you want a sense of a particular place in Europe during the 60s, long or short, skip this, and rely on the index of Tony Judt's Postwar.

I gave this two stars instead of one in recognition of the solid essays by Martin Klimke (on West Germany), Jan Pauer (on Czechoslovakia), and Boris Kanzleiter (on Yugoslavia).