Der Polizeistaatsbesuch(1967)

Der Polizeistaatsbesuch is a landmark German television documentary that captures the turbulent events surrounding the Shah of Iran's 1967 visit to West Germany. What began as a planned satirical critique of the state preparations evolved into a historical turning point, as massive student protests erupted in response to the shah's arrival. The film documents the escalating tensions between demonstrators and police, culminating in the fatal shooting of student activist Benno Ohnesorg. This seminal work stands as crucial testimony to a pivotal moment in German history, when political dissent collided violently with state authority, sparking the radical student movement that would define the late 1960s.