 He neither did compulsory military service nor the alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors, because he failed his physical examination due to poor eyesight.In 1967, he became active in the German student movement and left-wing movement (post-) 1968 (the so-called "Spontis"), first in Stuttgart and after 1968 in Frankfurt am Main.For his regular income, Fischer took several low-wage jobs, such as working in a left-wing bookstore in Frankfurt.