1968 IN YUGOSLAVIA – STUDENT REVOLT BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

Like in many european countries “1968” marks a open outburst of radical student activism also in former Yugoslavia. In particular the occupation of the University in Belgrade in June 1968 which was followed by a wave of youth protests in the whole country marks a turning point. It was the first open mass opposition movement in Yugoslavia after the Second world war and reflected deepening social and political contradictions in the context of economic and constitutional reform politics initiated by the ruling Comunist League of Yugoslavia (LCY) in the middle of 60s.

While the Yugoslav students defined themselves as part of a global generation in revolt their protests were characterized by a set of particularities combining topics, symbols and demands form student movements in the socialist east, capitalist west and postcolonial countries. Echoing the protests of the polish student revolt in march 1968 Yugoslav students protested against the “red bourgeoisie” and demanded “democratization” and a “free press”. On the other hand Yugoslav students articulated a harsh critique of “market reforms” and tendencies of “reintroduction of capitalism”. The starting point of a open student activism was marked by violent protests against “US imperialism” in Vietnam as early as 1966. With their critical approach against both dominating world systems at the time – bureaucratic socialism and western capitalism – they reflected the unique position of the Yugoslav political system as a anti-soviet socialist state which was integrated to a certain degree into Western markets and financial systems.

Boris Kanzleiter is historian at the Institut for Eastern European Studies of the Free University of Berlin. He studied in Berlin and Mexico-City. Currently he is working on his doctoral dissertation on the student movement of 1968 in Yugoslavia. He is supported by a scholarship of the Hans Böckler Foundation.

Recent publications include:
- Feindbildwechsel in Serbien, in: Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik, Nr. 6 (Juni 2005), S.664-666.
- Das Praxis-Experiment. Ein Rückblick auf das Jahrzehnt der Praxis-Gruppe von 1964 - 1974, in: Jungle World Nr. 4 (25.1.2005).
- Kriegswirtschaften ohne Krieg, in: Institut für sozial-ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung, Report Nr. 58 (Juni 2004).
- Das Unternehmen Krieg. Paramilitärs, Warlords und Privatarmeen als Akteure der Neuen Kriegsordnung, Berlin 2003.

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