Jugendbewegungen – Von Mods, Popper, Rockern und Punks

Vienna in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The city, which had been so gray for so long, has become more colorful and is showing a more youthful face. Teenagers have taken over prominent places in public spaces to mark their territory. Every afternoon, dozens of mods loiter around the Donnerbrunnen fountain in the city center, recognizable by their Vespas with foxtails and the obligatory parka. At the “Eissalon” in the posh Döbling district, poppers toss their quiffs out of their faces and park their Vespas. Until recently, punks' trademarks were still on display on Mariahilfer Straße: safety pins pierced through their earlobes and mohawk hairstyles. Mods were against Poppers, Poppers against “prolos,” and apparently everyone against rockers. The political spectrum of the groups was broad, ranging from zero (Poppers) to total opposition (Punks).