The King is dead, long live the Queen: television viewers share the excitement felt by Elizabeth Windsor when she assumes the throne in 1952 at the age of 27 on the death of her father, King George VI. The world joins the Argentinian people in mourning the death of the country’s beloved “Evita”, the President’s wife, and protests against the decision taken by the Nobel Peace Prize committee in Norway.
Seven years after the end of the Second World War, Germany is still occupied and is divided into East and West, but it is starting to be accepted part of the world again. North and South Korea are at war and the relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union – former allies – is cooling down fast. In the context of a process of social and geopolitical realignment around the world, seven European countries under the leadership of France decide to co-operate more closely at the economic level and as a result establish the forerunner of the European Union. People are starting to become more hopeful that the future will bring peace and freedom.
This period of turmoil and change is when K is launched, 65 years ago. K in Düsseldorf opens the door for the plastics and rubber industry to what until today still is the leading event for this sector today.