The German hashtag #aufschrei went viral in 2013 to raise awareness of sexism.
The hashtag began on Twitter after journalist Laura Himmelreich described an unwelcome encounter with politician Rainer Brüderle. Her article prompted people across Germany to share their own experiences of everyday sexism, turning individual accounts into a national discussion.
#aufschrei means “outcry” in German. It focused especially on ordinary, often normalized forms of sexist behavior and harassment rather than a single legal case. The campaign is sometimes compared with the later #MeToo movement, but it preceded #MeToo by several years and was rooted specifically in Germany.
A common mix-up is treating #aufschrei as a general protest against politics or censorship. Its central subject was sexism, particularly sexism encountered in everyday life. The campaign also showed how social-media testimony could push an issue into mainstream media and political debate.