May '68: 31 days that changed our lives?

'I am quite proud and I have a sense of duty to keep passing on that message.' 'I would like to read those pamphlets again that we distributed back then. I think I would laugh my head off.' Today, May '68 clearly evokes very contradictory feelings among the protesting youth of that time. There is often an equally deep gap between their memories and assessments, and the historical facts and the ultimate impact: 'We are looking for variety in every area, so why not in bed? That is what everyone thought back then.' 'For most people, the sexual revolution took place in their newspaper and not in their bedroom.' 'A revolution was never even remotely on the agenda.' 'May '68 structurally changed Western society.' On the fiftieth anniversary of May '68, Geert De Vriese and Frank Van Laeken go in search of the events and personal stories behind the only month in world history with a capital letter status. Eyewitnesses take stock of their dreams and ideals, experts test them against facts and conduct further research. From 'Leuven Vlaams!' to 'Make love not war!', from student leader to future prime minister, from amada to vmo, from the pill to Pink Floyd and from Dolle Mina to Hugo Claus. But also from 1968 to 2018: 'Everywhere in the Western world, populist leaders blame today's problems on the generation of May '68.' 'Today they would call me a radicalized youth. I like to compare it to the Syria fighters.'