Politics and Society of the 1980s

Contrasts ran throughout the entire decade in every area: fashion, interior design, and social and political life. Alongside people’s desire for leisure and fun, interest in politics and world affairs was very high.
While the expansion of education was reaching its peak, the women’s movement gained momentum. Citizens’ initiatives for environmental protection also emerged. It was a turbulent time of colorful fashion, the oil crisis, the Cold War, a changing social landscape, and fear of nuclear annihilation.

Today’s surveys show one thing: Most Germans think the 1980s were the best decade. That is why the decade is also popular for themed parties. In our online shop, you will find many great 1980s costumes as well as carnival accessories,
to travel back in time for a few hours and experience the exciting
1980s at their best. Now let’s take a look at the fascinating political and social aspects.

Nahaufnahme der vorderen linken Seite eines orangefarbenen Oldtimers, auf der die Scheinwerfer, der Kühlergrill sowie ein Teil der Motorhaube und des Seitenspiegels zu sehen sind.

Politics—from rising unemployment to the fall of the Berlin Wall

Helmut Kohl was lucky. Following a vote of no confidence in 1982, the previous Federal Chancellor had to resign, and Kohl took over as the new head of government. The controversial social spending cuts, budget deficits, and rising unemployment brought the SPD/FDP coalition to an end, allowing the CDU to take over. That same year, the global economy experienced its worst recession since the end of the Second World War. Unemployment rose to more than two million. However, Helmut Kohl managed to prevail and, as Chancellor, guided the affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany for the following 15 years.

Car and industrial emissions increasingly polluted the environment and heightened awareness of the issue. In 1983, the federal government therefore introduced legislation to promote the use of catalytic converters in cars in order to get the problem under control. In 1987, Helmut Kohl
and the first head of state of the GDR, Erich Honecker, met in Bonn. This was a historic moment for the entire world, as the division of Germany was finally recognized. It was said that the division of Germany was a prerequisite for lasting peace in Europe. Just two years later, the Wall fell on November 9. The reason was the citizens’ protests, which threw the SED leadership into confusion. Mumbled fragments from Günter Schabowski, a member of the Politburo, were taken literally by the people of the GDR. Thousands of people gathered at the border crossings, and the border troops were forced to open the borders. This was how turbulent the 1980s came to an end.

Eine Frau in einem blauen Tanktop und einem rosa Bandana steht vor einer gelb gestreiften Wand, reckt die Faust in die Höhe und ruft laut.

Society – between leisure activities and fear

German society also underwent many changes during the decade. Technological innovations opened up new possibilities. More and more households were connected to the cable network. There were the first private broadcasters, which enriched the television lineup.

At the same time, women fought for their rights. Activists also rose up and drew attention to environmental problems through spectacular actions. Everything was political. People stood up for their ideals. This activism fit in with the fashion trends. People wanted to be seen—in every respect.

But people were also plagued by fears. It was not only the possibility of nuclear disaster, as in Chernobyl, that concerned many people, but also the new AIDS epidemic. Added to this was the fear of unemployment. There were many social uncertainties.

If you would like to highlight the social aspect at your ’80s party, you will also find many products in our range for dressing up, for example, as a hippie.

Auf einer in den Straßenbelag eingelassenen Gedenktafel steht „BERLINER MAUER 1961–1989“ und markiert den ehemaligen Verlauf der Berliner Mauer.

What did it look like in East Germany?

When people think of the 1980s, the focus is always more on West Germany. Many forget about East Germany. What was it like in the East? The SED controlled politics, the economy, and social life, and managed to strengthen values such as social security and a sense of security. However, a credible overall ideology was lacking. “Actually existing socialism” gradually failed because of problems such as declining real incomes, rising prices, persistent shortages, poor infrastructure, and other everyday issues. This led to the disillusionment of society.

Because of the “educational dictatorship,” there were goals—and therefore limits—in every area of life. This also applied to leisure time. Recreational activities were explicitly encouraged in order to preserve people’s ability to work, but they were portrayed as a reward. The ideals grew increasingly distant from the reality people experienced, until this ultimately led to the first uprisings and, finally, to the fall of the Berlin Wall.