NCJ Number
62238
Journal
ENCOUNTER Volume: 44 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1975) Pages: 9-23
Date Published
1975
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE BACKGROUNDS AND DEVELOPMENT ARE DESCRIBED OF THE PRINCIPAL FIGURES BEHIND THE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES OF THE RADICAL LEFTIST BAADER-MEINHOF GANG IN WEST GERMANY.
Abstract
IN 1975, ULRIKE MEINHOF AND ANDREAS BAADER ARE IN PRISON AWAITING TRIAL ON CHARGES RANGING FROM MURDER AND KIDNAPING TO BANKROBBERY AND FORGERY. BOTH CLAIM TO HAVE ACTED OUT OF A CAREFULLY-REASONED LEFTIST IDEOLOGY THAT SEEKS THE DESTRUCTION OF CAPITALISM AND THE RISE OF A UTOPIAN MARXIST SOCIETY WHERE JUSTICE IS DONE FOR ALL AND THERE ARE NO UNMET NEEDS. VIOLENT ACTIVITY APPEARED TO DEVELOP WITH THEIR OBSESSIVE IDEOLOGY WHICH RATIONALIZED AS NECESSARY OR EVEN PURE EVERY DEED CONCEIVABLY RELATED TO THE EMERGENCE OF THEIR ENVISIONED UTOPIA. BY TEMPERAMENT OR PERSONALITY, MEINHOF, AS WELL AS HER COHORTS, ARE HIGHLY MANIPULATIVE AND UNCOMPROMISING IN TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE AND EVENTS INTO CONFORMITY WITH THEIR OWN CONCEPTS OF HOW LIFE SHOULD BE ORDERED. WEST GERMANY'S EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH THE BAADER-MEINHOF GANG HAS SHOWN THE VULNERABILITY OF A LIBERAL-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY TO SUCH A HANDFUL OF FANATICAL, MANIPULATIVE IDEOLOGISTS. BY AIMING TO AVOID REPRESSION OF DIFFERING VIEWS AND TRYING TO ADHERE STRICTLY TO LAWS GOVERNING THE RIGHTS OF OFFENDERS, WHILE TRYING TO RETAIN THE PRINCIPLE OF RESPECT FOR EACH HUMAN LIFE (PARTICULARLY IN RESPONSE TO THE ABUSES OF THE NAZI ERA), GERMANY IS VULNERABLE TO MANIPULATION BY A DEDICATED AMORAL GROUP OF REVOLUTIONISTS. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT WHEN FIVE OF THE GANG WERE RELEASED FROM PRISON IN EXCHANGE FOR THE SAFE RETURN OF A KIDNAPED WEST BERLIN POLITICIAN. AS LONG AS THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC OPINION PERMIT INTIMIDATION BY SKILLFUL REVOLUTIONARIES, THEIR DEEDS WILL CONTINUE AND THEIR NUMBERS WILL GROW AS THEY ATTRACT THE MALCONTENTS DRAWN TO VIOLENCE WITHOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF SERIOUS SANCTIONS. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)