ZDF (West German Television 2): A Documentary Record of the 1989 Student Movement and Reactions Across All Sectors of Society

This video is a documentary on the June Fourth (Tiananmen) crackdown produced by West German Television Channel 2 (ZDF) on May 19, 1989. Through street interviews with diverse groups such as rural villagers, farmers, urban workers, and ordinary citizens, it faithfully reflects the students' hunger strikes and protests in Tiananmen Square at the time, as well as the understanding, attitudes, and demands of various social strata toward the movement. In the interviews, ordinary people expressed varying views on democracy, reform, official profiteering, and soaring prices. While the majority supported the students' actions against corruption and to promote democracy, the interviews also revealed confusion, a sense of powerlessness, and a focus on their own daily struggles. The workers' group emphasized that they should peacefully support the students and avoid strikes. The second half of the video also presents the government and official media's framing and response to the movement, as well as the complex evolution of events amid diverse societal voices.

Video link:

Full transcript: Do you know about the student protests in the urban area recently?
I don't know, I don't know anything about it. I've been right here all along and never go out. Some people have come back from the city, but they don't come over this way. Recently, students in Beijing have been protesting all along, hunger striking in Tiananmen, and over a million Beijing citizens have also been protesting to support them. The students' main demand is to advance China's democratic process.

Do you know what democracy is all about?
I don't understand it.

What do you think democracy should be? What is your understanding of democracy?
I don't have that much knowledge, and I generally don't understand it.

Then are you satisfied with the current situation in China?
Satisfied.

Then do you think there are any problems in China right now?
I don't know.

Thank you.
Alright. Today, before dawn at five o'clock, I have to go down to the fields to work, and I just finished work at ten-thirty tonight, and haven't even had time to cook yet. Recently, students have been protesting and hunger striking, and millions of Beijing citizens and workers have gone to Tiananmen to voice their support. The students' main demand is to promote China's democratic reform process.

Do you understand what democracy is about?
To tell you the truth, I'm not afraid of anyone, but I really don't know anything. In our family, only my dad works, and we have six children. Ever since I was little, I've worked alongside my younger brothers. I don't know a single character, and I don't understand anything.

Do you think there are any problems with China's current reforms? Are there problems in China?
Anyway, I don't know about other things, but things here are different from before.

How are they different?
Now everything is rising in price, and rising quite sharply. You used to be able to buy something for a few hundred yuan, but now it's over a thousand. Pesticides used to be a dozen yuan a bag, but now they are over a hundred yuan. Plastic sheeting and chemical fertilizers are all extremely expensive.

Is the income from farming lower now than in previous years because of the price increases?
It's not that the income seems lower, but it's a lot more tiring than before. I do more work than before, but the harvest isn't necessarily any greater. I'm just a lot more tired.

If you were asked to go to Tiananmen to voice support for the students, would you go?
If I had the heart for it, I wouldn't have the time. I have the heart for it, but I truly don't have the time. The two of us farm seven mu of land, how could we possibly spare the time? In my heart I care, but I really don't have the time.

The students have been on a hunger strike for seven days, and many citizens and workers have taken to the streets to support them, demanding that the government, Li Peng, and Zhao Ziyang come out to dialogue with the students. Do you know about this situation?
I can't even keep up with things at home. Every day I get up a little after five, work until ten-thirty, and after eating it's already past eleven. Then I have to clean up and wash things, and can only go to sleep at twelve. Even with a TV, I don't have time to watch it. It's not that I don't care—I care in my heart—it's just that I don't have the time, I can't even keep up with the farm work.

One of the main things the masses are opposing right now is official profiteering. Do you know this term?
It's when officials engage in business and use the power in their hands. When you go back home, in the countryside you still have to deliver quotas, which are distributed by officials. Ordinary people are all opposed to it, it's too bitter. Why are officials so powerful now? Without them, would agricultural products have risen in price by so much? The ones with money are none other than them, ordinary people have it too hard.

I still have work left unfinished, I need to hurry and leave, I haven't eaten yet.
Thank you.

What are you growing here?
These are tomatoes.

Do you know about the student protests recently? The student protests and hunger strikes.
We work in the fields all day, we don't know anything. The people who went into the city and came back haven't mentioned these things either. Who among us has the leisure time to go into the city?

Do you think farming is harder now than before?
Now, it's just exhausting.

I heard that many things like pesticides and plastic sheeting have gone up in price.
I don't bother with these things, as long as I do my work when the time comes.

Did your family farm this field yourselves?
Yes.

What were you doing out in the fields?
Nothing much, just working, and I don't care about anything else. I don't get involved in these things, I have no spare time. I know about the students' marches and hunger strikes, who doesn't listen to the radio? But what rights do I have left? Just working and eating.

The students' main demands are to crack down on official profiteering and oppose price inflation. Do you think that's right?
Of course it's right. For example, when I bought a house, it was over 3,000, and now it has to be over 9,000, reaching 10,000. The peasants paid the money, but it all ended up in the hands of those people. Anyway, whether big or small, it has nothing to do with us, it's all those leaders.

Do you support this kind of student movement?
I don't take a stand, I don't say I support it or don't support it, I just stay neutral. I have to look after my own livelihood first.

You're a peasant too? Are everyone here peasants?
Yes, all peasants.

Do you know about the students' march and hunger strike?
Yes, I care about it very much.

What do you think of it?
Peasants don't care too much about politics, but if you say we don't care, we care a little bit. University students are worrying about the country and the people, and they are right. It can't be called a political movement, it can only be called a student movement. Anyway, whatever the central government says, the local authorities stay the same. The countryside remains the same old way. We have nothing to say. As for this action, we didn't go, we plan to go take a look this afternoon. We should have an understanding of society and history.

Where are you from?
West German Television.

West German Television, we support you. Propagandizing to the countryside and local areas, opposing bureaucratic corruption is indeed the will of the people. No matter where it is, from the localities to the countryside, young and old support this student movement.

Beijing university students went to Tiananmen for marches and hunger strikes, and over a million citizens and workers voiced their support. Do you know about this?
Yes.

Then what is your own view?
I care very much about these students. They are hungry for the sake of the people and the country's destiny. We just know about it from listening to the radio. The demands put forward by the students are reasonable and are facts.

The students demand to promote China's democratic process. Do you understand what democracy is about?
Not very clear, I don't understand.

From your own understanding, what does democracy look like?
I can't say well.

Now when speaking and doing things, can everyone speak their minds freely?
The countryside now has household contract responsibility, we deliver according to regulations, and we sell the remaining portion ourselves, though there are restrictions.

Do you think there are any problems with the development of China's economic reform up to now?
I can't say for sure.

Regarding matters around you, are there any problems? For example, chemical fertilizers and agricultural supplies have all gone up in price.
Agricultural supplies are currently very scarce and very expensive, you can't even buy them. They used to be distributed by allocation, but now none of that exists. As for what is going on, we don't know.

Is there official profiteering in the countryside?
I'm not clear about that, anyway it's not bad if you can just buy things. Thank you.

This is a reporter from West German Television. May I ask you a question?
Go ahead.

Recently, Beijing university students marched and went on a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, and many workers and citizens showed their support. Do you know about this?
I just got here, I don't know.

Do you know about the student marches recently?
I've heard about it.

What are your feelings about the students' actions?
I haven't thought about it yet, I don't know. But what they are saying makes sense.

Do you think there are problems with the country's reform and development up to now?
I don't have any views on it.

Where are you from?
West German Television.

Then are you satisfied with your own life?
Quite satisfied.

Good, thank you.

We are also from West German Television, may we ask you a question?
Yes.

Beijing university students marched and went on a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, and over a million citizens and workers showed their support. Do you know about this?
I've heard about it.

What is your view on this?
Student marches are a reform action, and I think it's correct.

Do you think the demands put forward by the students are reasonable?
Reasonable.

Do you think there are any problems with China's reform up to now?
I can't say completely, but right now everyone is particularly concerned about the issue of official profiteering.

Does official profiteering exist around you?
How should I put it, there's no way to say it. You know it in your heart.

Do you feel satisfied with your life now? Are there areas that need improvement?
Some children are also worrying along with it, and it's distressing when the children go hungry. My little girl hasn't even come back, she keeps going to deliver bean soup and things like that, and she also says it's quite distressing.

Are the demands raised by the students reasonable?
Reasonable, it's as it should be.

Did you watch yesterday's television? Li Peng's talk with the university students.
I watched it, the national leaders also care about the children. After the revolution, everything relies on these university students.

Yesterday, Li Peng talked with the students. Because he did not agree to the students' two demands, the negotiations ended. What is your take on this? I think future matters should be discussed and handled by them; it would be best if they could be resolved.

Do you think the government should agree to the two demands raised by the students? They should. He said he couldn't make the decision either. Many things need to be studied collectively.

Do you support the students' actions? I support them.

Do you think there are any problems with China's reforms so far? I am not clear about the internal situation.

Are there any unfair or unreasonable things around you? As for the country, Chairman Mao and Hua Guofeng used to look at the big picture, but things are a bit tense now.

Thank you. I'm just asking for everyone's opinions. The children are making a revolution; don't let them go hungry. It's not about opposing anyone. I heard that everyone supports them, and the leaders support them too.

Photos of police beating students: Police are grabbing students by the hair, already raising their belts, and kicking students. In the scene filmed in front of the gate, the police are beating students, and their actions are very fierce. Now they say they won't do this again, but they haven't said it yet; the higher-ups haven't spoken. Once the regulations are set and the orders come down, they will beat them just the same. Of course, there are also police with a conscience. Now our three thousand classmates are still sitting in and on a hunger strike at Tiananmen Square. It has been seven days, and their lives are in critical condition.

What we are saying is just the facts. According to international practice, any government should respond, but now the government is still stalling. The students have two demands. First, they demand that the government publicly acknowledge this student movement as a democratic and patriotic movement. Now, this is no longer just a student patriotic movement; it is the whole nation rising up to save the country. Our classmates have no selfish motives; for the sake of everyone's interests, their own bodies have been seriously harmed.

Another demand is for equal dialogue with the top leaders of the Party and the state. The government's final move now is to impose martial law and implement military suppression. We appeal to our worker brothers to stand up bravely to save the country and save the children. We hope the workers can stand up and not be afraid.

Previously, Deng Xiaoping said he would step down, but the people of the whole country wouldn't let him. Now we want him to step down, but he won't step down himself. Li Peng, Yuan Mu, and these people are public servants of the people. We demand equal dialogue with them, but they say this is a childish idea. These theories are very absurd.

What do you think of the students' protests and hunger strikes, and the million people in the capital taking to the streets to support them? I sympathize with the students, but I'm not very clear about it. I mainly want to ask about the workers' thoughts. Is there anyone willing to stand up and say a few words? The students are risking their lives for our happiness, our descendants, and our nation; are we afraid to even say a word? We are fighting for the nation and for the future; how can we not even speak a word?

We are reporters from West German television. What are your thoughts on the student movement and the public's support? The broad masses are spontaneously and very enthusiastically supporting the students. In particular, Li Peng's visit to Shougang did not represent the opinions of the workers and staff at all. The press release published by Xinhua News Agency was equivalent to raping the public opinion of Shougang. We didn't mean that at all; the broad masses at Shougang firmly stand on the side of the students.

I heard that some workers at Shougang also took to the streets to support the students? Yes, I heard that some other factories did too.

Has Shougang's production been affected? It doesn't seem so. Everyone went in their spare time, which does not affect production.

Do you think workers should support the students? Workers should support them, but they must also maintain normal production order. Someone said it right: we don't demand that workers go on strike, but we must express our wish to support the students' just demands. There are also many abnormal phenomena within Shougang, and there are problems with the leadership. When meetings are held in Shougang, there isn't a single real worker; it's all security department and internal company personnel.

Are you also a worker? Yes.

What method do you think workers should use to support the students? Workers can spontaneously go to the square to support them, or they can donate money. I myself have donated dozens of yuan. This is the only way to truly express the wishes of the workers. Those scabs and leading cadres cannot represent us.

I used to be a student, and now I fully support the student movement. Of course, specific methods can still be discussed. The law stipulates the leading position of the Chinese Communist Party. If you have the ability, you can continue to lead; if you don't have the ability, let others come. This is normal democratic life. Changing a few people is useless; there must be a mechanism for free competition. Students should be like those in South Korea and overthrow the dictatorial rule.

What do you think of the dialogue between Li Peng and the students yesterday?
Not very satisfied, but at least he showed up, which is a good sign. However, Li Peng doesn't have real power; there are people above him. Is he responsible to the people or to his superiors? In China, everything depends on a single word from a certain leader; for example, if Deng Xiaoping says something, the newspapers have to follow it, which is very unreasonable. The Party and the government should be separated. We are not Party members, so why should we listen to the Party? We are already exhausted from the eight-hour workday, and then we have to attend meetings for discussions. If the system doesn't change, the people will forever be slaves and will never gain human rights and democracy.

Workers don't just create benefits for the country; they should also have rights. Rights and obligations should be reciprocal. We are not treated as human beings at all right now; they don't treat us as people.

Students are still on a hunger strike, and the government hasn't agreed to their demands. How do you think this can end?
It would be best for the government to agree to the students' two demands; only then can things be calmed down. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to resolve this further through democratic procedures. In fact, corruption is widespread throughout society, and it is hard to see any improvement without fundamental change; it is already rotten to the core.

Do you think the government should at least agree to these two demands?
Yes, at least they should agree to calm things down so that reforms can be carried out through democratic procedures. The current problem cannot be solved by replacing one or two officials. Only by establishing the separation of powers, making the press and judiciary independent of the government, and establishing a democratic constitution—where the people can let you hold office if they like you, and replace you if they don't—will it be reasonable.

Thank you both.

Hello, teacher. We are reporters from West German television. May we ask you a question?
Once I know what it is, I will certainly answer. Regarding the student movement and the support from the masses, I think the students' hunger strike illustrates the significance of the movement; it is a major event concerning the future and destiny of the country. Workers should support the student movement.

In what way should workers support the students?
That's a long story. Thank you.

I firmly support this movement. What do you think the government should do now?
They should engage in dialogue with the students as soon as possible to resolve the matter. The people need a stable society.

Do you think workers should go on strike to support the students?
That's not very good. They should firmly support the students, but do so in their spare time.

Do you hope more workers will support the students?
Many workers are already supporting and caring about the students now.

What changes do you think will occur in the situation?
I hope the central government will pay attention as soon as possible and resolve the matter.

Could you say a few words?
The teacher loves the motherland very much and hopes the government will resolve the matter as soon as possible. Currently, there is no other way but dialogue.

One worker said: I am not a worker at the Capital Steel, but we support this patriotic action in our hearts. We are also workers, and we hope the country will punish corruption and not squander the workers' hard-earned money. We are descendants of the Chinese nation and must revitalize China. I don't want workers to strike; we must support the students with practical actions, even with our heart's blood and our lives.

If workers support the student movement, they will face dangers, such as being fired, disciplined, or having their bonuses deducted. What do you think of that?
We ignore that and persist in justice. Although we don't have a high level of education, we know right from wrong and who is good and who is evil. We will continue to support them.

(Street vendor scene)
Come and buy something, everyone's getting rich. Have a bottle, five yuan. Everyone is getting rich now. Do you have chili? Everything is in abundance.

Students are arguing about whether to continue the hunger strike. Many students realize that the hunger strike is not the goal, but a means to awaken the public and push the reform process forward. Everyone is very united, but many students haven't eaten for seven days, and some are not calm. What we need to do is to sit-in while maintaining our health; protecting the students is protecting the Republic.

Now, representatives of the hunger-striking students have stated that they cannot control the situation. If this state is not ended as soon as possible, the situation will be very difficult to predict. Moreover, the impact has already spread to many cities across the country, with many people demonstrating in numerous places, many locations seeing attacks on government offices, and even incidents of looting, arson, and blocking trains. Various situations indicate that if the situation is not reversed and stabilized quickly, it will lead to nationwide turmoil, and our country's reform and opening up, our cause, and even the future and destiny of the nation face serious danger.

The party and government have stated multiple times that we should work actively, but actions such as marches, demonstrations, strikes, and hunger strikes disrupt social stability and are unhelpful for solving problems; by now, they have deviated from their original intentions. The party and government shift based on the subjective desires of the young students, and this matter is no longer something students can control. Now, interest groups oppose the Four Cardinal Principles, spread a large amount of rumors, attack and abuse party and state leaders, and focus their spearhead directly on Comrade Deng Xiaoping. The National People's Congress has already issued a stern statement, and the Chinese Communist Party and government call on everyone to stop the turmoil, support the government in restoring normal social order, and adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles. It is hoped that the broad masses of people, workers, and students will play their roles, maintain stability, continue to uphold and develop the socialist cause, strictly oppose all behaviors that endanger social stability, and ensure that our country is stable and orderly, and that the people live and work in peace and contentment.

(End)