The World: Youthfest in Berlin

The dull gray streets and squares of the most rigidly doctrinaire Soviet-bloc country in Europe last week looked more like Watkins Glen than East Berlin. Along broad Karl-Marx-Allee strolled long-haired young men and women from every continent, laughing and singing. In the big fountain on Alexanderplatz, young people waded, danced and kissed. Their joy was punctuated by the loud beat of dozens of rock combos and brass bands and the music of choral groups.

The occasion was the tenth World Youth Festival, a quadrennial gathering of the young sponsored by the Communist bloc. It attracted 25,000 leftist youths from 134 countries, including...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!