History

Founding

DWARS was founded on 4 January 1991. Its creation was decided at the congress on 15 and 16 December 1990 in Wageningen as a merger of PSJG and PPRJ, respectively the youth organisations of the PSP and PPR, two of the parties that merged into GroenLinks. The youth organisation of the CPN, the ANJV, tried to continue on its own. The EPP, also a founder member of GroenLinks, had no youth organisation. There were big differences between the PPR youth and the PSP youth. The PSP youths were very independent of the PSP, anarchist in outlook and were mainly concerned with campaigning against nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. The PPR youngsters were focused on the parent party and on the Lower House. This opposition between parliamentary or action-oriented played out for a long time within DWARS. In the first 10 years after its formation, the anarchist PSP youth were in the majority and drove DWARS away from GroenLinks. For several years now, DWARS has firmly strengthened its ties with GroenLinks.

Naming

At the founding congress, a fierce debate arose over the name of the organisation. More moderate, parliamentary-minded people with a background in the PPRJ suggested the name "GroenLinkse Youth". More radical, action-oriented people with backgrounds in the PSJG suggested the name "The green spider peering into the room from the left, right". Attempts were made from all sides to sabotage decision-making. The chairman then jumped on the table and shouted, "And bunch of crossheads, now seriously!" That is when the name DWARS was chosen. Statutorily, the association is called 'DWARS, GroenLinkse Youth Organisation'.

Older forms of organisation

For a long time, DWARS had no board and no president and was organised on a grassroots democratic basis.
From 1991 to 1996, DWARS was an action group, which organised itself into varying, undefined working groups. For instance, DWARS had a UFO (Extremely Imaginative Consultation) that acted as a coordinating body, a ParGo (Parliamentary Group) that began to interfere with the GroenLinks group and with GroenLinks Congresses, a Dodo (after the extinct animal), which dealt with environment, and strong Anti-Fa working group (Anti-Fascist Action). DWARS published two magazines: The Spin, a self-stencilled magazine for internal debate and announcements, and the Former RamPSPoed, a continuation of the PSJG's independent magazine. This magazine was printed at a printer. DWARS also published the DWARS in Action! and the DWARS! E-zine. During this period, there were serious noises within DWARS and GroenLinks about severing ties.

In 1996, when DWARS had fallen into a deep slump financially, in membership and in its relationship with GroenLinks, a self-appointed crisis board stood up and existed from 1996 to 1999. Ties with GroenLinks were strengthened and the organisation moved from crummy premises in Amsterdam to a better location in Utrecht. The organisation was radically overhauled: DWARS became an anarchism-inspired organisation. All members could join Executive Working Groups. These working groups appointed Coordinators. The Coordinators of the Executive Working Groups collectively formed the Coordinating Consultation (CO), which managed the organisation. In addition to the CO, a Youth Group (initially Shadow Group) was formed to set the substantive direction and follow the GroenLinks Lower House Group. In addition, the membership magazine was revamped into DWARS! Magazine. This organisation was maintained until 2005.