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Apo-Oma

English translation: APO granny

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:APO-Oma
English translation:APO granny
Entered by: Robin Ward

15:13 Feb 20, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Government / Politics / Revolutionary politics
German term or phrase: Apo-Oma
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.)
Robin Ward
Germany
Local time: 09:28
APO-Granny or veteran/old-timer/old battle axe of the extraparliamentary opposition
Explanation:
"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
Selected response from:

pschmitt
Local time: 08:28
Grading 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 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3"left-wing left-over from the sixties"
Klaus Dorn (X)
4 +2APO-Granny or veteran/old-timer/old battle axe of the extraparliamentary opposition
pschmitt
4veteran student activist
Jeannie Graham
4unrepentant member of the extraparliamentary opposition (APO)
Gary Schmidt
3Hippie Grandma
Ron Stelter


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Hippie Grandma


Explanation:
I think this is how we would be phrase such a name

Ron Stelter
Local time: 02:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Klaus Dorn (X): they weren't all hippies...especially not in Germany
4 mins
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
"left-wing left-over from the sixties"


Explanation:
ageing revolutionary from the sixties

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


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-20 15:26:49 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

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...

Klaus Dorn (X)
Local time: 10:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
veteran student activist


Explanation:
.

Jeannie Graham
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Klaus Dorn (X): they weren't all students either...
4 mins
  -> How about Veteran Political Activist then???
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
APO-Granny or veteran/old-timer/old battle axe of the extraparliamentary opposition


Explanation:
"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


pschmitt
Local time: 08:28
Grading 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!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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
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42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
unrepentant member of the extraparliamentary opposition (APO)


Explanation:
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.

Gary Schmidt
United States
Local time: 02:28
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