Book: Columns

Introduction
"Columns" by Ulrike Meinhof is a collection of newspaper columns composed and published by the German reporter and political activist in between 1959 and 1965. While the book was released in 1959, the columns featured illustrate her viewpoints on various topics related to politics, society, and culture in post-war Germany. Meinhof was known for her left-wing advocacy and her participation with the Red Army Faction, a militant leftist group in West Germany. Through her columns, she promotes for a more just and equal society while critiquing what she perceives as a decadent and overbearing Western society.

Political Climate in Post-War Germany
In the book, Meinhof remarks extensively on the political environment in post-war Germany, highlighting the rise of neo-Nazism and the impact of former Nazis in different aspects of German society, consisting of politics, the judiciary, and the media. She criticizes the "quiet submission" of the German population in enabling previous Nazis to retain power and impact, arguing that this failure to meaningfully challenge their history has actually permitted the rise of reactionary movements.

Meinhof also discusses the division of Germany into East and West and the federal government's role in perpetuating this department through the building and construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. She condemns the West German federal government's failure to address the financial and social implications of this department and advocates for a more radical form of socialism than the West's approach.

Problems of Equality and Feminism
Meinhof was a strong advocate for women's rights and equality, and her columns address different problems affecting women, consisting of unequal pay, the lack of representation in politics and workplace discrimination. She clearly connects these concerns to broader political and socioeconomic problems, arguing that ladies's injustice is fundamentally connected to the capitalist system. By advocating for a more simply and equal society, Meinhof lays the groundwork for her later involvement in leftist, radical politics.

Culture and Society in Post-War Germany
In "Columns", Meinhof likewise deals with various elements of German culture and society throughout this time, including the role of the media and the impacts of American culture. Meinhof is crucial of the sensationalism present in the media, especially in reporting on criminal cases, and she argues that this has actually led to a culture of worry and increased control by the government.

Meinhof also goes over the growing influence of American culture, particularly in regards to pop culture and consumerism, arguing that this serves to promote capitalist ideals and weaken German culture. She sees this as an additional indicator of the problematic values of the West and the need for a more extreme socialist option.

Conclusion
"Columns" supplies an informative take a look at Ulrike Meinhof's early political viewpoints and activism, prior to her participation with the notorious Red Army Faction. Through her works, she articulates her issues about post-war Germany's political climate, the rise of neo-Nazism, division of East and West, concerns of equality and feminism, and the effects of commercialized American culture on German society.

Meinhof's critique of capitalism and her advocacy for a more equal and just society set the structures for her later radicalism and involvement in militant leftist politics. While her later actions have led lots of to view her as a terrorist, it is necessary to acknowledge the principles that underpinned her beliefs and inspired her advocacy. "Columns" works as a tip of the context in which Meinhof developed her political position and provides an intriguing window into the ideas of one of Germany's most questionable historic figures.