The Impact of the 1985 “Fassbinder Controversy” on Jewish Identity in Germany

Joseph Cronin

Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe, 2016, vol. 24, issue 1, 67-81

Abstract: This article argues that the Fassbinder controversy, which took place in Frankfurt in October 1985, was a turning point in Jewish life in the Federal Republic. It was the first time Jews had taken to a public stage (quite literally) in order to demonstrate, in this case against a play they deemed to be antisemitic. This effectively put an end to the attitude of reticence and conformity that defined the initial post-war decades, in which Jews living in Germany sat on metaphorical “packed suitcases”, ready to move on at any moment. Although the demonstration united the generation of Holocaust survivors and their children’s generation, an analysis of the discourse used in the debate shows that the demonstration had different meanings for these two generations. As such, the Fassbinder controversy can also be seen as signalling a generational transition within Germany’s Jewish community.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1080/0965156X.2015.1118850

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