Fiery symbol of 60s dies in bath

Press, 27 December 1979, Page 6

Fiery symbol of 60s dies in bath

NZPA-ReuterAarhus (Denmark)

Rudi Dutschke. symbol of. West German student power 1 in the 1960 s died on Christ-! mas Eve, a man forgotten, and jibed at by his own followers. “Red Rudi” had sought in vain to carve out a new Left-wing formation in the 1970 s and in response received the nickname of “Apd Museum” from his own followers — a reference to his Extra-Parliamentary Opposition Party (A.P.0.) The Danish police said Dutschke, who was 39, had died of natural causes while on a private visit. Other reports said that he had drowned after suffering an epileptic seizure in a bath. A spokesman for the West German environmentalist “Green” party, in which Mr Dutschke had placed much of his hopes, said in Bremen I that Mr Dutschke had tele-

phoned him On Monday, and speculated that, he might [have died of a stroke as an .after-effect of bullet wounds I received in 1968. i Mr Dutschke was seriously wounded m the head on April 11, 1968, in a West Berlin street. The attack sparked off student riots in West Germany. The gunman, Josef Erwn Bachmann, was sentenced to seven years jail with hard labour. He committed suicide in his West Berlin prison cell in 1970. The fiery student leader had spearheaded countless demonstrations which inspired anti-Establishment youth. After his recovery' from head wounds, he tried to settle in Britain but was expelled in early 1971 for alleged subversive activities. He took up a post at Aarhus University, Denmark. He was bom the son of a ■ postal worker in 1940.