Class struggle has come back to Germany. Against the trade union officials´ will, against the march´s organizers own predictions - on November 1st 100.000 protested against the cuts. The Labour-Green party Government and the emplyoers want to push through the most horrendous cuts in social and employment benefits, healthcare, pensions, wages, ANYTHING! in the whole history of post-war Germany. The Government calls it "reform Agenda 2010". People are frigthened and nervous of these "reforms" indeed. The Bosses are swinging the cuts´ axe to meet European standards in 2010. The trade union bureaucracy, even the ATTAC hierarchy, they wanted to delay any protest. The unions put pressure on it´s members not to organsize shop flor resistance. Union bosses and Attac said, there was no potential of protest, that people are passive and still wait. Then in summer three socialists met over a beer in a Berlin pub. And they´d never dreamed of the wonder they´d bred. The left inside attac organisid in unity and had to fight hard against the fair weathered dedicated followers of fashion to push it trough. A week before the march organisers were sceptical and pessimistic, they believed, only 10.000 would turn up. There was the usual in-fighting between Trots, Tankies and Anarchist over allegations of "highjacking" of protest and who would "lead" this small march. Then the anars called for, as a reaction, to form their own "revolutionary block". They called for to "bring eggs to throw against" those of the SPD Left who wanted to break away from the German Labour party discipline and "dare" speak on the rally. Only days before the 1st. the climate changed. It became obvious that trade union rank and file were indeed calling to march in Berlin - against the ´crats will. On November 1st midday the march started with 30.000. The organisisers thougt, well...? Then the march went on. Half an hour later it swelled to 50.000. There was an overwhelming majority of trade union banners, traditional workers´ marching bands played. There were many unemploeyed, school students. And something else was there, a feeling of complete unity of spirit between all who marched. Gone was all the infighting and secterian athmosphere. And then a miracle happened. When the march reached the city shopping centres, hundred of families, pensioners, bystanders - suddenly joined the march. Within minutes the demo swelled to 100.000 marchers. This mass blocked the sqare where the rally was staged. And when the rally was to end the tail of the march was still 4 miles away. (For pictures click on indymedia Germany)