Ulrike Meinhof | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Meinhof as a journalist, c. 1964 | |
| Born | Ulrike Marie Meinhof 7 October 1934[1] |
| Died | 9 May 1976 (aged 41) |
| Organization | Red Army Faction |
| Spouse | Klaus Rainer Röhl (divorced) |
| Children |
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Ulrike Marie Meinhof (7 October 1934 – 9 May 1976) was a German left-wing journalist and founding member of the Red Army Faction (RAF) in West Germany, commonly referred to in the press as the "Baader-Meinhof gang". She is the reputed author of The Urban Guerilla Concept (1971). The manifesto acknowledges the RAF's "roots in the history of the student movement"; condemns "reformism" as "a brake on the anti-capitalist struggle"; and invokes Mao Zedong to define "armed struggle" as "the highest form of Marxism-Leninism".[3]
Meinhof, who took part in the RAF's May Offensive in 1972, was arrested in June of that year and spent the rest of her life in custody, largely isolated from outside contact. In November 1974, she was sentenced to 8 years in prison for an attempted murder that had taken place during the RAF's successful jailbreak operation of Andreas Baader.[4]
From 1975, she stood trial on multiple charges of murder and attempted murder, with the three other RAF leaders: Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, and Jan-Carl Raspe. Before the end of the trial, she was found hanged in her cell in the Stammheim Prison. The official finding of suicide sparked controversy. One year later, on 7 April 1977, two members of the RAF assassinated the Federal Attorney-General Siegfried Buback as revenge.[5][6]
Cultural Influence and Legacy
The actions and ideology of Ulrike Meinhof and the Red Army Faction (RAF) have led to a lasting impact on both culture and language. The “Baader-Meinhof phenomenon,” also known as frequency illusion, is a cognitive bias that occurs when people encounter something new, then frequently notice it again soon after. While the phenomenon itself is not directly related to Ulrike Meinhof or the RAF, the term originated in the 1990s on an online discussion forum where a user noted the curious pattern of repeatedly encountering references to the RAF. Since then, the term has been widely adopted to describe this common mental effect, where increased awareness makes certain ideas, names, or themes appear to recur more often than they actually do.
Additionally, the 2008 film The Baader Meinhof Complex, directed by Uli Edel, explores the rise and activities of the Red Army Faction during the 1970s. The film presents a dramatized portrayal of Ulrike Meinhof’s transformation from a journalist to a leading figure in the RAF, and it critically examines the radical ideologies and violent actions that defined the group. The Baader Meinhof Complex received international attention and several award nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, and it played a significant role in shaping public understanding of the RAF’s legacy in contemporary culture. [1] [2]
- ^ Johnson, Kenneth F. (1974). Peronism : The Final Gamble. London: Institute for the Study of Conflict. p. 13. ISBN 978-0903366076.
- ^ Gallus, Alexander; Zimmermann, Reinhard (2017). Meinhof, Mahler, Ensslin: die Akten der Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (in German). Göttingen; Bristol, CT: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p. 53. ISBN 978-3525301265.
- ^ Moncourt, André (2009). The Red Army Faction, A Documentary History. Volume 1: Projectiles of the People (PDF). Oakland, CA: PM Press. pp. 83–104 [87–88, 91]. ISBN 978-1604860290.
- ^ Power, Jonathan (2013). Amnesty International, the human rights story. Oxford: Elsevier Science. p. 72. ISBN 978-1483286013.
- ^ Werner, Robert (2014). Geschichte? Nee – oder? Ich will's jetzt – wissen – Buch für junge Leute. : Deutsche und europäische Geschichte sowie wichtige Ereignisse in der Welt vom Jahre 9 – 1990 (in German). Berlin: epubli GmbH. p. 529. ISBN 978-3844299434.
- ^ "Who Assassinated Siegfried Buback? Germany Revisits RAF Terrorism Verdict". Spiegel Online. 23 April 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2018.