population. During the 1950s, more or less 5% of youth could be referred to as . Riots by the Halbstarken The first Halbstarken riots happened after concerts or cinema screenings, which usually were preceded later uprisings as well. On December 30, 1956 about 4000 juveniles walked through Dortmund’s city, affronting passers-by, rampaging and having battles with the police, after a cinema show of Außer Rand und Band (Rock Around the Clock with Bill Haley). Big riots occurred especially from 1956 to 1958. Often, the furniture of cinemas and concert halls was totally destroyed. These riots started severe discussions in media and politics. The seeming sense- and directionlessness of the riots wasn’t comprehensible. Often, the American popular culture was considered guilty. Nowadays, the riots and all of the Halbstarken-phenomenon is seen as a protest against society and its authorities which seemed draconic and bleak. But the protest was neither organized nor politically motivated. Literature Poiger, Uta G.: Jazz, Rock and Rebels, 2000. Maase, Kaspar: BRAVO Amerika, Hamburg 1992. Schildt, Axel: Modernisierung und Wiederaufbau, Bonn 1993. Grotum, Thomas: Die Halbstarken. Zur Geschichte einer Jugendkultur der 50er Jahre, Frankfurt am Main, 1994. References External links Die Halbstarken – the movie Halbstarker Halbstarke Halbstarken riots Musical subcultures History of subcultures