The late 1960s and early 1970s were the last window of opportunity in Germany in which the nationwide introduction of the comprehensive school and the abolition of the Gymnasium were considered realistic goals in reform-oriented circles. This article examines, for the case of North Rhine-Westphalia, the reasons why these ambitions failed. One important factor was that the CDU (the “Christian-Democratic Union”) succeeded in forging a cross-class alliance that had roots in political Catholicism and in which the rural population and Catholic teachers also saw themselves represented. Although there was a certain willingness to reform in the CDU around 1970, at the end of the reform window, the interests of the upper classes were able to prevail on the comprehensive school issue. This was also related to rampant anti-communism, which held the CDU-led alliance together but divided the left.

Keywords
comprehensive school, education politics, cross-class coalitions, CDU, North- Rhine Westphalia