Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

APO-Oma

English translation:

APO granny

Added to glossary by Robin Ward
Feb 20, 2003 15:13
21 yrs ago
German term

Apo-Oma

German to English Other Government / Politics Revolutionary politics
Heard this way back in the 80s I believe, I think it refers to a woman who's been involved in revolutionary-type protest activities of some kind for a long time (hence "Oma"). Anyone know how this could be translated into English though?

(As far as I remember, Apo or APO = außerparlamentarische Opposition.)

Proposed translations

+2
24 mins
Selected

APO-Granny or veteran/old-timer/old battle axe of the extraparliamentary opposition

"The APO was the student-initiated opposition movement in West Germany during the late sixties and early seventies. In many ways it was a product of a unique German trait -- a strong desire to associate with political parties. When German students grew disillusioned with the so-called "Grand Coalition" of the two major political parties -- the left-wing SPD and the right-wing CDU -- they didn't give up on politics altogether. Instead they formed an "anti" political party, the APO. Since the Grand Coalition comprised over 95% of the Bundestag, there was only a negligible opposition (5%) in parliament. The Extraparliamentary Opposition (APO) was intended to rectify this imbalance in the public arena. "A community of political opinion rather than an organization," is how Baader-Meinhof biographer Jillian Becker described the APO. Firebrand student leader Rudi Dutschke was often called the leader of the APO movement."

Hope this helps
Peer comment(s):

agree Martin Hesse : :-))) 'Old battle axe of the ...' is a super suggestion! Ein wahrer Brüller.
34 mins
agree Edhild : APO-Granny, definitely (has the same tone - APO is known or can be researched
2 hrs
neutral writeaway : old battle axe is insulting
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Seems - at least to me - to work best. As Edhild says, APO can be left as it is, as it shouldn't be too difficult to research. Thanks too for the detailed explanation. Thanks to all the others for your suggestions!"
4 mins

Hippie Grandma

I think this is how we would be phrase such a name
Peer comment(s):

neutral Klaus Dorn (X) : they weren't all hippies...especially not in Germany
4 mins
Something went wrong...
+3
5 mins

"left-wing left-over from the sixties"

ageing revolutionary from the sixties

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Note added at 2003-02-20 15:24:29 (GMT)
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streetfighting granny
brick-throwing granny


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Note added at 2003-02-20 15:26:49 (GMT)
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You have to understand the idea here - APO was something specific to Germany not seen in any other country in this particular form. They really changed soemthing and are still changing things now. Without people like Joschka Fischer, Trittin and others, Germany would probably be at war alongside the US by now...
Peer comment(s):

agree Martin Hesse : Yeah!!! Pity that the '68ers aren't called '69ers, although they probably knew that better than the revolution...
9 mins
agree Ino66 (X)
20 mins
agree Guenther Danzer : another 68er. I like the "Left wing..."
33 mins
Something went wrong...
5 mins

veteran student activist

.
Peer comment(s):

neutral Klaus Dorn (X) : they weren't all students either...
4 mins
How about Veteran Political Activist then???
Something went wrong...
42 mins

unrepentant member of the extraparliamentary opposition (APO)

I think it is difficult to convey the actual meaning of the term APO-Oma while at the same time retaining the humorous element of "granny." Hence, I suggest the above paraphrase. Also, I am wondering if you have more context that would help us understand if the connotation of "APO-Oma" is meant to be as negative as some of the other translators have suggested.
Something went wrong...
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