Back to the video list: German History

 

The West Germany faced a long-lasting period of left-wing terrorism from 1970 to 1998. The Red Army Faction killed numerous representatives of the state and innocent bystanders. In the end the German authorities could prevail.

 

The First Generation of the Red Army Faction (1970 - 1977)

Video Documentary - First Generation

 

 

Overview

  • Date: 1970 – 1977
  • Location: Germany
  • Start: Violent freeing of Andreas Baader
  • End: Suicide of Baader, Ensslin & Raspe

 

Persons & Parties Involved

  • Federal Republic of Germany
  • Red Army Faction (RAF)
  • Andreas Baader (1943 – 1977)
  • Gudrun Ensslin (1940 – 1977)
  • Ulrike Meinhof (1934 – 1976)
  • Holger Meins (1941 – 1974)
  • Jan-Carl Raspe (1944 – 1977)

 

Background

  • Good level of information through mass media
  • Wealth & high standard education for the vast majority of the population
  • Establishment of left & socialist organisations during the 1960ies, amongst others:
    • Extra-parliamentary opposition
    • Student movement
  • Radicalisation of the left groups end of the 1960ies – main goals:
    • “End of western imperialism”
    • “Freeing of the suppressed masses”
  • Please note: The societal & political conditions in the 1960s clearly contradict the   radical left-wing opinions

 

History

  • 02 – 03 Apr 1968: Arson attacks on 2 department stores in Frankfurt by Baader, Ensslin, T. Proll & Söhnlein
  • 31 Oct 1968: The offenders are sentenced to 3 years imprisonment
  • 27 Oct 1969: after the appeal is rejected Baader, Ensslin & T. Proll flee to France & Italy
  • Military training of the Red Army Faction by Fatah in Jordan
  • Feb 1970: Baader & Ensslin return to Berlin
  • 04 Apr 1970: Baader is arrested
  • 14 May 1970: Violent Freeing of Baader during a day release – "hour of the birth of the RAF“
  • 05 Jun 1970: Publication of the RAF Strategy “urban guerrilla (Meinhof) in the left-wing magazine Agit 883
  • Sep 1970 – Apr 1972: Several bank robberies by the RAF & enforcement actions by the police during which the RAF shoot their way out of the situations without considering civilian casualties
  • May 1972: “May Offensive” with bomb attacks on U.S. forces, German police, a judge & a conservative media company
  • Jun 1972: Arrest of the leaders & other terrorists of the Red Army Faction
  • 09 Nov 1974: Holger Meins dies during his hunger strike
  • Jan 1973 – Feb 1975: 3 hunger strikes by the imprisoned RAF opposing alleged solitary confinement & torture
  • Left-wing scene is sympathetic to the Red Army Faction
  • 09 May 1976: Ulrike Meinhof commits suicide
  • 28 Apr 1977: Baader, Ensslin & Raspe are sentenced to life in prison for multiple murder & attempted murder
  • 05 Sep 1977: The 2nd generation of the Red Army Faction abduct Hanns Martin Schleyer to obtain the release of their imprisoned comrades
  • 13 Oct 1977: Palestinian terrorists hijack a Lufthansa flight from Mallorca to support the Red Army Faction
  • 18 Oct 1977: GSG 9 frees all of the hostages in Mogadishu
  • 18 Oct 1977: Baader, Ensslin & Raspe commit suicide
  • 19 Oct 1977: Hanns Martin Schleyer’s body is discovered

 

Consequences & Impact

  • Esp. because of the media the society is split:
    • Strong rejection of the Red Army Faction by the majority of the people
    • Understanding & support for the Red Army Faction in the left-wing scene
  • The 2nd generation & support for the Red Army Faction forms due to left-wing propaganda, i.e. the hunger strikes of RAF prisoners are effectively used as publicity
  • The left-wing terror continues & intensifies
  • The parliament passes stricter laws & the government takes tougher measures to maintain inner security

 

The Second Generation of the Red Army Faction (1972 - 1982)

Video Documentary - Second Generation

 

 

Overview

  • Date: 1972 – 1982
  • Location: Germany
  • Start: Capture & imprisonment of the core of 1st generation of the Red Army Faction
  • End: Capture of the core of 2nd RAF generation

 

Persons & Parties Involved

  • Federal Republic of Germany
  • Red Army Faction (RAF)
  • Siegfried Haag (1945 – )
  • Christian Klar (1952 – )
  • Brigitte Mohnhaupt (1944 – )

 

Background

  • The leaders of the first generation of the Red Army Faction are imprisoned
  • (Partially) radicalised left-wing scene
  • Attitude of the German people:
    • Majority: Strict rejection of the Red Army Faction
    • (Parts of the) left-wing scene: Understanding & support for the Red Army Faction (esp. because of effective RAF propaganda regarding alleged solitary confinement & torture)

 

History

  • 12 Feb 1970: Foundation of the Socialist Patient Collective which is a recruitment ground for the 2nd generation
  • Jun 1972: Arrest of the leaders of the Red Army Faction & other terrorists, i.e. Mohnhaupt
  • Jun 1972 – Nov 1976: Counsellors of the Red Army Faction, esp. Haag, recruit the 2nd generation
  • Main goal of the Red Army Faction: “Big Raushole“ = Freeing of the imprisoned terrorists
  • 27 Feb – 04 Mar 1975: 2 June Movement abducts the politician Peter Lorenz & achieves the release of 5 terrorists from prison
  • 24 Apr 1975: Red Army Faction murders two diplomats during the hostage crisis of Stockholm but fails to obtain the release of imprisoned comrades
  • 09 May 1976: Ulrike Meinhof commits suicide
  • 30 Nov 1976: Arrest of Siegfried Haag
  • 08 Feb 1977: Release Mohnhaupt, who takes the leadership of the 2nd generation
  • 07 Apr 1977: The “Offensive 77” begins with the murder of attorney general Siegfried Buback & his detail
  • 30 Jul 1977: The CEO of Dresdner Bank Jürgen Ponto is murdered
  • 05 Sep 1977: The 2nd generation of the Red Army Faction abduct Hanns Martin Schleyer to obtain the release of their imprisoned comrades
  • 13 Oct 1977: Palestinian terrorists hijack a Lufthansa flight from Mallorca to support the RAF
  • 18 Oct 1977: GSG 9 frees all of the hostages in Mogadishu
  • 18 Oct 1977: Baader, Ensslin & Raspe commit suicide
  • 19 Oct 1977: Hanns Martin Schleyer’s body is discovered
  • 1978 – 1982: Several attacks & bank robberies by the RAF but also successful police operations
  • 25 Jun 1979: Failed attack on U.S. General Alexander Haig
  • 15 Sep 1981: Failed attack on U.S. General Frederick Kroessen
  • 05 May 1980: The majority of the 2 June Movement joins the RAF
  • 1980 & 1982: RAF dropouts go into hiding in the GDR
  • Jun 1982: Red Army Faction announces its new strategy “pan-European anti-imperialist front”
  • Nov 1982: Arrest of the 2 RAF leaders Mohnhaupt & Klar

 

Consequences & Impact

  • Murder of large number of innocent people (also innocent in the understanding of the Red Army Faction)
  • The Red Army Faction faces an identity & homing crisis
  • Now the left-wing scene rejects the Red Army Faction which leads to virtually no support from the German population for the terrorists
  • The 3rd generation moves underground & continues with terrorist campaigns

 

The Third Generation of the Red Army Faction (1982 - 1998)

Video Documentary - Third Generation

 

 

Overview

  • Date: 1982 - 1998
  • Location: Germany
  • Start: Capture & imprisonment of the core of 2nd RAF generation
  • End: Self-dissolution of the RAF

Persons & Parties Involved

  • Federal Republic of Germany
  • Red Army Faction (RAF)
  • Wolfgang Grams (1953 – 1993)
  • Birgit Hogefeld (1956 – )

 

Background

  • The majority of the 2nd RAF generation is imprisoned
  • The Red Army Faction faces an identity crisis
  • The Red Army Faction has virtually no support anymore in the left-wing scene & is therefore nearly completely isolated within the German society

 

History

  • Nov 1982: Arrest of the 2 RAF leaders Mohnhaupt & Klar
  • 02 Jul 1984: Arrest of 6 terrorists
  • The government assumes that the Red Army Faction is near to collapse
  • 01 Feb 1985: Murder of the MTU CEO Ernst Zimmermann
  • 08 Aug 1985: 3 persons are killed during an attack on Rhine-Main Air Base
  • 09 Jul 1986: Murder of Siemens manager Karl Heinz Beckurts & his driver Eckhard Groppler
  • 10 Oct 1986: Murder of the diplomat Gero von Braunmühl
  • 30 Nov 1989: Murder of Alfred Herrhausen
  • Jun 1990: Exposure of Red Army Faction dropouts in the GDR
  • 01 Apr 1991: Murder of the head of Treuhand (trust agency) Detlev Carsten Rohwedder
  • 27 Jun 1993: GSG9 arrests Hogefeld & kills Grams in Bad Kleinen
  • GSG9 officer Michael Newrzella is killed in action during the operation in Bad Kleinen
  • 20 Apr 1998: Red Army Faction declares its self-dissolution

 

Consequences & Impact

  • End of a 25 year period of organised left-wing terrorism in Germany
  • The German authorities & the German society prevail over the terrorists
  • Most of the unmasked terrorists entirely refuse to cooperate with the authorities or the victims to shed light upon the historic events
  • Many personal responsibilities & aspects of the wider context of the RAF terrorism remain unclear
  • The Red Army Faction is responsible for a high number of innocent victims