NCJ Number
64768
Date Published
1979
Length
47 pages
Annotation
THE SIGNIFICANCE, FOUNDATIONS, AND CONTENT OF THE IDEOLOGY OF WEST GERMAN TERRORISTS ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
IN AN EFFORT TO JUSTIFY THEIR ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST A LEGITIMATE, DEMOCRATIC ORDER, WEST GERMAN TERRORISTS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR IDEOLOGICAL POSITION IN NUMEROUS PAMPHLETS, HANDBILLS, AND INTERVIEWS. THE TERRORISTS, INCLUDING THE BAADER-MEINHOF GANG, ATTRIBUTE UNUSUAL IMPORTANCE TO THEIR IDEOLOGICAL BASE SINCE IT PROVIDES THEM WITH (1) A FOCAL POINT FOR ALREADY PRESENT, VAGUE AGGRESSIONS; (2) A JUSTIFICATION FOR CRIMINAL ACTIONS: (3) AN INSTRUMENT OF GROUP SOLIDARITY; AND (4) OVERSIMPLIFIED AND CATCHY SLOGANS FOR THE RECRUITING OF OTHER TERRORISTS. AN EXPLORATION OF THE EARLY BACKGROUND OF TERRORISTS SHOWS THAT THEIR IDEOLOGICAL ROOTS LIE IN GENUINELY IDEALISTIC AND ALTRUISTIC VALUES (RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL IN NATURE) WHICH AT ONE POINT VIOLENTLY CLASHED WITH GERMANY'S POLITICAL AND SOCIAL REALITY: THE PROTEST MOVEMENT OF THE SIXTIES, ITS SEARCH FOR NEW WAYS OF LIFE, AND ITS REJECTION OF EXISTING SOCIETY ALSO PROVIDED AN IDEOLOGICAL BASIS, AS DID THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST, ANTI-CAPITALIST, NEO-ANARCHICAL STUDENT REVOLT. ACCORDING TO TERRORIST IDEOLOGY, THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY IS A CAPITALIST AND FASCIST STATE THAT EXPLOITS ITS POPULATION AND THAT OF THE THIRD WORLD. ALL EFFORTS AT REFORMING THE SYSTEM ARE USELESS OR EVEN HARMFUL SINCE THEY SERVE AS COVER-UPS FOR EXISTING WRONGS AND PERPETUATE EXPLOITATION. WHILE CLASSICAL MARXIST THEORY SEES THE PROLETARIAT AS THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE REVOLUTION, TERRORISTS BELIEVE THAT THE MASSES (AND THE COMMUNIST PARTIES) ARE UNABLE TO FULFILL THAT CALLING AND NEED A SMALL GROUP OF FRONTRUNNERS (I.E., THE TERRORISTS) TO DRIVE THEM ON. TERRORIST IDEOLOGY IS ESSENTIALLY MISGUIDED AND UNREALISTIC, AND THE GERMAN POPULATION IS URGED TO REJECT THE IDEOLOGY OF TERRORISM. THE BOOK CONTAINS NUMEROUS QUOTES FROM TERRORIST WRITINGS AND AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)