Copyright D e t l e f W u l f f 2008-2016 / English: P i e k e B i e r m a n n, Berlin Germany
A Police democratises itself
68th Revolt
Diskussionskommando Berlin
Chief Constable
Klaus Hübner
born 1924 in Berlin, joined police
after handicraft and commercial
apprenticeships; trade union
activist (among other functions:
secretary of UISP) since 1951;
member of the Socialdemocratic
Party since 1952; member of
Bundestag 1965 69;
Commissioner of the West Berlin
Police 1969 - 1987
Distinctions:
Ernst-Reuter-Plakette
Chevalier de l'Ordre
National du Merite
Former Maior of Berlin
"Peoples of this world,
in America, in England,
in France, in Italy –
look upon this city and
see that you should
not, cannot abandon
this city and this
people."
Ernst Reuter,
former Berlin Mayor
Sep 9, 1948
People in Charge
In Politics and Police
Heinrich Albertz
Kurt Neubauer
Duensing,
former Commish
Ulrich Werner,
Commander Berlin
Police
Extraparliamentary Opposition
The Diskussionskommando – aka Gruppe 47 – was established in
1969 as a special unit for anti-riot field testing and special tasks.
Initiated by Klaus Hübner (at the time Berlin Police Commissioner),
and Günther Freund, first led by Werner Textor, then Jürgen Sagert,
it was mainly deployed in demonstrations, especially to de-escalate
and prevent violence.
It also served in raids against drug-related crime, including flexible
plain-cothed patrolling.
Remarks
All comments and remarks here are based on my personal impres-
sions and memories as an eye-witness and unit member. They are
my view of the "revolt of the 1968ers" – an era seen quite
differently by different people.
In those days, Berliners were hardly aware of the Diskussions-
kommando and it was never exactly the darling of Berlin Police
internally. Most officers misunderstood its purpose, and the admin-
istrative ranks took it for a bothering disturbance. But the unit's
operative success was largely broadcast in tv, and officers from
other West German cities were sent to Berlin to study what Group
47 was doing.
This website is also meant to honor Klaus Hübner and his merits as
Berlin's commish at that particular moment in time. Berlin owes
him and "his discussion command" a lot – first of all for rebuilding
social peacefulness. We, the Group 47, put a face to it.
Without Hübner's initiative the history of Berlin, of Germany and
consequently of Europe would have had a very different shape. The
Four Power Agreement on Berlin was about to endanger the city's
situation, with the Soviets ever so often claiming responsibilty for
all Berlin, insisting that they were in charge for the entire city.
A Police democratises itself
68th Revolt