East German secret police guide for identifying youth subcultures (1985)
Fascinating! Even back then people confused apostrophes with French accent marks. It's no new occurrence.Survey of appearances of negative-decadent youths in the GDRFrom the left:* Ted'sAge: 15-30 yearsVery small group by numbers, fanatic supporters of 50's Rock'n'Roll. Usually organized in respective fan clubs.Clothing in 50's style: Skinny jeans, Winklepickers. Hair in the style of R&R-times (Elvis quiffe, "Duck").Politically uninterested.Hardly noticed operationally, activities mostly at birth and death days of idolized rock stars.* Tramper (bum, blueser)Age: 20-30 years.Classic manifestation of the negative-decadent youth in the 70's. Blues fans. Participation in traditional events.Long hair, jeans parka, tramping, Birkenstock (literally: "jesus slippers"), beards, sometimes fashin accessories similar to Hippies.Not bound to any political worldview.Noticed through organizing inter-regional meetings, no firm attachment to church groups, hardly growing.* SkinsAge: 15-22 years.English: "head skin". society-threatening manifestation of negative-decadent youths as lone wolfs or in loose groups without firm structures.Outer attributes: baldness or very short hair, bomber jacket, skinny jeans, high steel-toe boots studded with nails and iron.Deprecative negative to hostile political attitude, partly neo-fascist tendencies, glorification and use of violence, brutal action.In danger of criminality (rowdyism, battery, resistance to state action.Partly in open church youth groups.* HeavysAge: 15-25 years.Fan of the so-called Heavy-Meta music (extremely hard rock).Similarity to rockers in the west: black leather clothing, leather cap, Rivet-studded jackets and pants, wearing heavy chains etc., normal to semi-long hair.Originally deprecative attitude towards state and society, growing integration into organizations forms og the Free German Youth with society-conforming attitudes.Originally aggressive attitude, partly neo-fascist tendencies after the example of the west, with the proliferation of Heavy music increasingly society-conforming.* GothsAge: 15-20 years.New Heavy scene, originating in hostility to that, glorofication of creepy effects, satanic and death cult, fans of the group "The Cure".black or white dyed hair, sticking out in all directions. White powdered face, black clothing. Wearing of symbols like crucifixes upside down.Totally uninterested in politics and society.Hardly noticed operationally. High profile by collecting grave utensils, sometimes grave desecration. Calm, isolated from other youths.* PunksAge: 15-22 years.English: Garbage/trash.Characterized externally through documented decadence, society-adverse to -threatening. No firm structures.Filthy, torn, paint-sprinkled clothing, utensils like safety pins/razor blades. multi-coloured, scraggy hair, partly "Irokese haircut".Deprecative to hostile political attitude, rejection of all state forms and societal norms. Glorification of anarchist thoughts, "total freedom".Violent appearance, criminal actions and antisocial ways of life, often regulars in public church youth groups, instructed by Deacons.* New RomanticsAge: 15-18 years.English: "New romantics", "dropout" movement, developed from punk, is punk's more society-conformant variant.Black or grey clothing, often contrasting black-red as  a symbol of anarchy. Hair most of the time dyed black, short at the back and the sides, long on top. Hanging into the face, eyes concealed.Stand for same negative to hostile postitions as Punks,but reject all forms of glorification and use of violence.Partly attached to church youth work, diminishing tendency.* PopperAge: 13-20 years.Performing as break-dancer. Notable one-sided interest in disco and dancing.Youth with extremely modern clothing. Haircut similar to New Romantics, multi-coloured.Totally uninterested in politics.So far no operational appearance. Mostly involved in quarrels with Heavys.