The wounds of the Second World War were still deep, the Cold War was smoldering and a "balance of terror" split Germany and the world. In the young Federal Republic a broad mass of citizens was able to regain prosperity, self-confidence and, thus, normality in their everyday lives because of the so-called "economic miracle". The symbol of the economic recovery was the VW Beetle, dominating the streets of Germany in the 1950s. In the living rooms, TV sets became a new standard. The age of mass media and consumer culture had begun. After decades of wars and crises, a new kind of family idyll was propagated: the ideal world of the nuclear family in their own home and environment. Conformity was the order of the day.
However, the youth had other things in mind. The 1950s were also the decade, when Rock'n'Roll set off to conquer Europe via the United States. Instead of following their parents' orders, the youngsters danced to the rhythms of Bill Haley or Peter Kraus and, above all, to the sound of the King of Rock'n'Roll, Elvis Presley. Petticoat and jeans were the uniform of this new rebellious attitude to life. James Dean became the idol of a whole generation of "Halbstarke" and beatniks, the Vespa a symbol of their freedom and independence.
History
Shaped by the Concert of Europe in the Age of Imperialism and the resulting "Great War", shattered by the Second World War as a result of the dark chapter of National Socialism, characterized by the Cold War and the division of Germany – historical world constellations as well as people's living conditions have often and seriously changed in the turbulent 20th century.
Here you will find photo dossiers on the various historical phases and events of the past century in Germany and around the world. In addition to major politics, the focus is on changes in the "zeitgeist": people's everyday experiences in the individual decades, changes in culture and fashion, and progress in technology and science.