ABSTRACT
In the beginning The first step in the debate defining the politically and strategically appropriate way to go about providing HIV and AIDS prevention in Germany came to a close in 1987. The decision was made to forego the traditional and repressive control and containment measures typically implemented in response to infectious diseases in favour of health learning strategies according to the principles of health promotion. This decision was made relatively early in Germany. (See Frankenberg and Hanebeck, Chapter 4; Schilling, Chapter 8.) But this was only the first step.
