Author Archives: biffbang

Poster – “The End of a Regime” (early June 1968 – Strasbourg)

03 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by in de Gaulle, Poster, Strasbourg

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“The End of a Regime”

The text in the pot holding de Gaulle reads: “The blood of the people”

The sign reads: “Estates-General of Autonomous Universities, Strasbourg 8-9-10 June 1968)”

(Early June 1968 – Strasbourg)

Photocopy on paper

25 x 33.5cm

Tract – untitled (1 June 1968 – UNEF)

01 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in May 27-June 2 1968, Tract, UNEF

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Since early May, the most powerful mass movement that France has ever known has continued to grow. By occupying the factories, workers aim to impose their authority in industry as well as on the whole of society. By occupying the faculties, students are demonstrating their determination to radically transform society.

The breadth of the movement has been such that the bourgeoisie became frightened and is now trying to pull itself together by rallying around a government which was breaking down. its game consists in trying to canalize the present movement, with a view to elections in which the employers’ money and election combinations will allow it to save the essentials.

We cannot fall into such a trap. Only real worker authority in the factories and in society can guarantee lasting satisfaction of our demands. Otherwise the rise in prices and employer repression will quickly reduce to nothing the few advantages that have been won. When the mass of workers decided to pursue their action they understood this very well. They will not give in to threats and intimidation; they have already begun to organize to take over production in the factories, and they will continue the fight.

The consultations requested by the UNEF for the last three days, with a view to organizing a broad inter-union demonstration, could not take place. Certain people seem to have no concrete outlook beyond preparing for the elections. This is not our objective, a popular movement of this kind cannot get bogged down in any electoral operation whatsoever. The UNEF is therefore taking the initiative of calling on students, teachers, and workers to come to a large demonstration on Saturday, June 1, and is inviting the union organizations to join in this call.

DOWN WITH GAULLISM!
POWER TO THE WORKERS!
THE FIGHT CONTINUES!

4 PM MEET AT MONTPARNASSE STATION
(Place du 18 juin)

Photo – Occupation of Nanterre University (early May 1968 – DUMAS Agency)

01 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in Agence Dumas, May 1-5, Nanterre, Photograph

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THE STUDENTS OF NANTERRE OCCUPY THEIR UNIVERSITY

In the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, as in many of the university cities throughout the world, the students are in turmoil. The reasons for their agitation are variable, it’s rather a matter of tension related to a certain anxiety over the future. In our photo the extremist students of Nanterre have occupied the great amphitheatre of the Faculty and are demonstrating loudly, singing revolutionary songs.

Photographic print

(early May 1968 – Dumas Agency)

17.5 x 12.5cm

On rear of photo:

Tract – “The Struggle Must be Continued” (30 May 1968 – UNEF)

31 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in Grenelle Agreement, May 27-June 2 1968, Students, Tract, UNEF

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The desire of the students and workers to continue the occupation of their workplaces has unambiguously demonstrated the profound deficiency of the negotiations. Together, at Charlety Stadium, they powerfully showed what their objective was

Ten years of Gaullism

Centuries of exploitation

That’s enough

what the workers and students want is power.

De Gaulle uses the carrot and the stick, we understand the stick well… now. It is the call to civil war, the march towards a potential fascist regime. De Gaulle defends neither the “Republic” nor “democracy”, but his regime, that of the Bourgeoisie.

From now on he will only be able to remain by organising violence.

His carrot is poisoned, the workers know that any increase in wages is only a decoy, inflation will quickly bring their purchasing power back to the level it was before; it is the same with every partial concession a capitalist regime agrees to.

Only a radical change in economic structures can allow the demands of the workers to be met.

In the same way the students know that being satisfied with the rearrangement of the current framework of the University would be useless; it would remain the tool of the bourgeoisie. It’s here that the fight of the students joins with that of the workers: a democratic university is impossible in a capitalist society. The democratic University must be that of all workers at the service of the working class.

THE STRUGGLE MUST BE CONTINUED

Mass demonstrations are needed, but they aren’t enough.

The question of power isn’t resolved by ballots or votes, but by continuing the strike, the occupations, and by organising in our places of work; in other words by taking the responsibility for the life of our faculties, of our factories for ourselves.

NATIONAL STUDENT UNION OF FRANCE

30 May 1968.

Tract – “CRS Comrades” (undated)

28 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Police, Students, Tract, Workers

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C.R.S. COMRADES

You do unpopular work, that’s OK; and we imagine that you don’t always do it willingly.

But currently, not only are you doing a revolting job, but a stupid one; because the government that you are defending is condemned by the whole of France.

BECOME OUR BROTHERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ARBITRARINESS AND INSTITUTIONALISED STUPIDITY

WORKERS AND STUDENTS LIASON COMMITTEE

C.L.E.O