Plaque commemorating student protest movement unveiled at the Audimax

An iconic photo was taken as the robed professors proceeded to the stage, oblivious to the message on the banner leading the way. The slogan condemned what was felt to be crusty, archaic university structures and marked the beginning of change at Germany's public universities.

The protest's initiator and contemporary witness Gert Hinnerk Behlmer attended the unveiling. The plaque, affixed outside the Audimax in a very central place, is viewable by the public. A QR code enables visitors to find out about the protest digitally. The banner is on loan from Gert Hinnerk Behlmer through an agreement with the University of Hamburg that will run until 2032. It has already been exhibited at the University Museum for over 6 years.

The University's president, Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren, pointed out at the unveiling that the University has a special responsibility to make its history and social context public: "The 1967 protest stands for an historical turning point that permanently changed the relationship between the university, politics, and society. The plaque commemorates former students and, at the same time, strengthens our understanding of ourselves as a university that is open to the world, self-reflecting, and democratic. As a university of excellence, we see remembrance as a mission: learning from history and assuming responsibility in the present."

Peter Hess, who gifted the plaque, emphasized the significance of the protest: "I have long thought about finding a firm place on campus to acknowledge this protest. The protest showed that students are not only a part of society but that they can actively shape it. The plaque should remind future generations to remain critical and to stand up for their convictions."

University historican Prof. Dr. Rainer Nicolaysen provided historical context for the protest: "The motto, 'Unter den Talaren-Muff von 1000 Jahren,' was much more than a provocation. It stood for a fundamental critique on the part of the younger generation that demanded democracy and openness at universities. Hamburg was not, like West Berlin or Frankfurt am Main, a major center of student protests, yet this creative and courageous protest against authoritarian university structures soon became legendary, and the slogan on the banner became one of the most famous slogans of the protest movement."