The Red Army Faction (RAF), often colloquially known as the Baader-Meinhof Group or Baader-Meinhof Gang, was a prominent and highly controversial far-left militant organization that operated in West Germany from its inception in 1970 until its declared dissolution in 1998. The group adopted a name that, in German, translates to Rote Armee Fraktion, reflecting their revolutionary, Marxist-inspired ideals and their self-perception as an "urban guerrilla" movement fighting against what they viewed as an oppressive capitalist state. While widely known by their German appellation and its phonetic pronunciations (e.g., [ɛʁʔaːˈʔɛf] and [ˌʁoː.tə aʁˈmeː fʁakˌt͡si̯oːn]), the alternative "Baader-Meinhof" moniker, also pronounced [ˈbaːdɐ ˈmaɪ̯nˌhɔf ˈɡʁʊpə] in German, arose from the public and media's focus on two of its most recognizable and incendiary founding members: Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof.

From its earliest days, the RAF quickly came to be classified as a terrorist organization by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany due to its adoption of violent tactics to achieve its political aims. The core motivations driving the RAF were complex, stemming from a deep well of leftist political concerns, a fervent anti-imperialist stance influenced by global events such as the Vietnam War, and a profound disillusionment with post-war German society. A significant driving force was the perceived failure of their parents' generation to fully confront and atone for Germany's Nazi past, a sentiment that resonated with many within the radical student movements of the late 1960s. Furthermore, the RAF controversially received varying degrees of support, including training and safe havens, from intelligence agencies of the Eastern Bloc, most notably the Stasi, the secret police of East Germany.

The Trajectory of Violence and the German Autumn

Over the course of nearly three decades, the Red Army Faction engaged in a relentless campaign of violence, employing a range of tactics including bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, bank robberies to fund their operations, and armed confrontations with police. Their targets were often symbolic figures of the German state, industry, and finance, reflecting their anti-establishment and anti-capitalist ideology. High-profile victims included industrialist Hanns Martin Schleyer, the head of Dresdner Bank Jürgen Ponto, and federal prosecutor Siegfried Buback. The group was ultimately held responsible for the deaths of 34 individuals, encompassing not only primary targets but also many secondary victims such as chauffeurs and bodyguards, with numerous others injured throughout their active years. Conversely, during the same period, 26 RAF members or their supporters lost their lives.

The intensity of the RAF's activities reached its zenith in late 1977, a period that plunged West Germany into a severe national crisis famously dubbed the "German Autumn." This critical time was marked by a series of dramatic events, including the kidnapping of Hanns Martin Schleyer and the hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 181, known as the Landshut hijacking. The state's response was swift and uncompromising, culminating in the controversial deaths of several first-generation RAF leaders, including Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, and Jan-Carl Raspe, in Stammheim maximum security prison. These deaths, officially ruled as suicides, remain a subject of debate and conspiracy theories to this day, further cementing the RAF's place in German historical discourse.

It is noteworthy that while the RAF garnered significant public and media attention and became synonymous with West German domestic terrorism, it conducted fewer actual attacks than other contemporary militant groups. For instance, the Revolutionary Cells, a less well-known but prolific group, was responsible for an estimated 296 bomb attacks, acts of arson, and other assaults between 1973 and 1995, highlighting the RAF's unique impact on the national consciousness, disproportionate to the sheer number of its violent acts.

Generations of the RAF

The history of the Red Army Faction is often conceptualized in terms of distinct "generations," reflecting the evolving leadership, tactics, and circumstances of the group:

• The "First Generation": This foundational period, primarily active from 1970 to 1972, included iconic figures such as Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof, Gudrun Ensslin, and Horst Mahler. They were characterized by their charismatic leadership, radical rhetoric, and direct engagement in armed struggle. The majority of this generation's core members were arrested in 1972, significantly impacting the group's immediate operations.
• The "Second Generation": Following the mass arrests of the first generation, a new wave of members emerged, determined to continue the struggle and, crucially, to secure the release of their imprisoned predecessors. Their activities peaked around the "German Autumn" of 1977, often engaging in highly publicized actions aimed at pressuring the state, such as kidnappings and hijackings. This generation largely sought to avenge and liberate the first generation.
• The "Third Generation": Active predominantly in the 1980s and 1990s until the group's dissolution in 1998, this generation operated in a considerably changed political landscape. After the deaths of the first generation leaders in Stammheim in 1977, the third generation's motivations shifted, often focusing on assassinations of high-ranking government and business figures, though their membership was smaller and their operations often more clandestine.

Dissolution and Lingering Questions

The Red Army Faction formally declared its dissolution on April 20, 1998. The announcement came in the form of an eight-page typewritten letter, faxed to the Reuters news agency in German. The letter, signed "RAF" and featuring the group's iconic submachine-gun red star symbol, unequivocally stated the end of their militant activities, bringing a symbolic close to nearly three decades of terror.

However, the legacy and complete cessation of the group's influence were not without lingering questions. In 1999, subsequent to a robbery in Duisburg, evidence surfaced that pointed towards former RAF members Ernst-Volker Staub and Daniela Klette. This discovery triggered an official investigation into a potential re-founding of the organization or, at the very least, a continuation of criminal activities by former members, ensuring that the specter of the RAF continued to cast a shadow over German law enforcement and public consciousness for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Red Army Faction

What was the Red Army Faction (RAF)?

The Red Army Faction (RAF), also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group, was a far-left militant organization active in West Germany from 1970 to 1998. It was considered a terrorist organization by the German government and engaged in acts of violence to achieve its political goals.

Who were the key figures of the RAF?

Prominent founding members of the first generation included Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof, Gudrun Ensslin, and Horst Mahler. Their names became synonymous with the group's early activities and ideological foundations.

What motivated the RAF?

The RAF was motivated by a complex mix of leftist political concerns, a strong anti-imperialist stance (influenced by events like the Vietnam War), anti-capitalism, and a deep dissatisfaction with what they perceived as West Germany's failure to fully confront its Nazi past. They believed in armed struggle as a means to effect radical social change.

What was the "German Autumn"?

The "German Autumn" refers to a period of intense national crisis in West Germany in late 1977. It was marked by a series of high-profile RAF actions, including the kidnapping of industrialist Hanns Martin Schleyer and the hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 181, which led to a heightened state of security and ultimately the deaths of several first-generation RAF leaders in Stammheim prison.

How did the Red Army Faction dissolve?

The RAF formally declared its dissolution on April 20, 1998, through an eight-page typewritten letter faxed to the Reuters news agency. The letter, signed with the group's symbol, explicitly stated the end of their militant operations.

Did the RAF receive external support?

Yes, the RAF controversially received support, including training, financial aid, and safe houses, from various Eastern Bloc security services, most notably the Stasi, the secret police of East Germany.

Was the RAF the most active German militant group?

While the RAF was the most notorious and better-known German militant organization, it conducted fewer attacks than some other groups, such as the Revolutionary Cells, which were responsible for a significantly higher number of incidents.