Students are becoming restless over the conditions they are subjected to. In Kiel recently the University Student's Association tried to bring their discontentment to the attention of Education Minister Walter Braun by presenting him with a pig-let as a [unclear: symboi] of the 'pitiable swine' students are.

For better or worse, however, this gesture was not completed since the piglet was so excited that, despite sedatives, its life was endangered.

The piglet was in fact somewhat more excited than the students themselves have been so far. As yet their protests have taken the form of such light hearted, practical jokes as this—although there can be no doubt that their dissatisfaction is real enough.

So far there is no sign of bitterness or fanaticism. In Cologne students doled out beakers of soup to passers-by in the street. In Hamburg they discussed their problems in the street in a controlled and disciplined manner. They have also printed handouts, written letters, held debates, started working groups and organised seminars.

The student strikes a couple of weeks ago represented the most extensive stu-Trade schools are another quite diff-fore. The standard children are now rein the Federal Republic. Police had to intervene only once, in Berlin.

Colleges Closed

This was the only city where there was anything akin to riots or fights—except perhaps in Tubingen where a right-wing radical group of students tried to cause a disturbance.

Fifteen thousand students demonstrated in Berlin, 3500 in Munich and 2000 in Freiburg. In Constance 42 per cent of the students turned out to vote whether or not to strike. Eighty-eight per cent of these voted in favour, and as a result almost all of the city's 106 trade schools and colleges were temporarily closed

The executive committee of the Federal Students' Association (VDS) is no doubt feeling extremely pleased with the turnout for the demonstrations it has organised. It has not been able to rally such massive support since the days of the students revolt in 1968. This how ever, was partly a result of its own dis unity.

The VDS committee, in which the Marxist student association and the socialist student association are at odds with young socialists, now feels that about as much has been achieved for the time being as can be hoped for. It is now considering whether to call off the strike or carry on with it.

The fact is that at the moment the whole scene is very quiet. The hard core of the Communists was scarcely in evidence at all during the recent action With Christmas coming up, it is conceivable that any intensification and radicalisation of the issue may be stymied by the vacation.

On the other hand, it is also possible that Communist student groups may use the break to work out a new tactical plan for the coming term.

Before any ideas can be formed as to how things are likely to progress from here it would be appropriate to take a closer look at what the students are dissatisfied about.

Their grievances are multiple and various, ranging from social and financial conditions, political and legal quarrels, internal university factors and national as well as regional occurrences.

In Berlin German students have been on strike for Weeks because two of their professors are suspected of having leftist radical sympathies and disciplinary measures have been started.

In Kiel occupants of several student houses are refusing to pay the rent because they are not prepared to accept a rent increase of, in some cases over ten per cent.

In Constance students are fighting against a regulation which has been introduced in Baden Wurttemberg only, whereby students are required to pay for paper, chemicals, broken flasks, test tubes and so on.

In Hamburg students are trying to prevent the new state university Bill now under consideration from being brought in line with legislation governing university courses and students' rights which has recently been introduced.

These points are directly connected with each other. A school leaver wanting to study, say, pharmacy, will often be unable to get a place at university immediately after leaving school.

Being forced to kill time he may well decide to start on another course in which he has no particular interest, but for which his school grades were good enough to secure him admission immediately.

After this, should he decide to change over to pharmacy—which is easier than gaining admission for pharmacy in the first place—he loses his right to state assistance and falls foul of the new legislation, which may result in his being sent down.

This is only one general example but it illustrates how many students acquire the impression that, no matter which way they turn they are bound to lose somewhere.

And this is by no means the whole story. There is also the problem of in creasing unemployment among graduates, which is reducing job prospects for more and more courses of study. For would be teachers the situation has become even worse since political extremists may no longer be employed by the State.

Furthermore universities are tightening up on admissions even more than before. The standard children are now required to achieve at school in order to gain admission to university has developed from the sublime to the ridiculous in a relatively short space of time.

Trade schools are another, quite different, but equally problematic matter. Trade schools were started as training centres where students could gain qualifications for occupations which, generally speaking, are less well paid and of lower social standing than these for which university students are trained.

More and more trade school students as many as forty per cent now—are going on to university from trade schools. Ministers of Education in the various states have stamped on this and in future only one to two per cent of trade school graduates will be admitted for further study at university.

Overwhelming Response

None of these reasons alone was enough to spark off the recent protests. The only reason the VDS received such overwhelming response throughout the country is because students are irritated and disturbed by a combination of all these points.

As far as the future is concerned the following facts must be borne in mind;

Firstly, none of the grievances students are now protesting about can be cleared up in the immediate future. On the contrary some things such as social situation and university entrance conditions may well become worse

Secondly, in contrast to 1968 when contact between schools and universities was only just being built up, there is now very close contact between them and student unrest is now shared to a large extent by schools and parents.

There are considerable numbers of people living in the vicinity of universities and colleges who would not hesitate to take part in demonstrations if the situation does not change.

Thirdly, no responsible politician has a sure cure for unrest and dissatisfaction. There are always plenty of plans and proposals, but they are either utopian or clearly impossible to implement even on a modest scale.

For these reasons the present movement may well be continued, widened and radicalised. Conditions in universities, colleges and schools are such that unless changes are made students may resort to more drastic action in future than simply making a symbolic offering of a piglet.