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Matthias Dahlke
“Only Limited Crisis Preparedness”
Keywords: Terrorismus, Lorenz-Entführung, Bewegung 2. Juni
The abduction of the leading politician Peter Lorenz in February 1975 was one of the greatest challenges as yet for the “Internal Security” of the Federal Republic of Germany; today, however, it is largely out-shadowed by the events of the “German Autumn” of 1977. The kidnapping of politicians as a means of terrorism was unprecedented. There were no prepared strategies for the crisis management groups in the Federal and State governments; after almost a week, they decided to give in and have five imprisoned terrorists flown out to socialist South Yemen. The files, policy and debriefing papers of the crisis management groups and the involved ministries reveal the divides, the ideas for solutions and the debates leading up to this decision. Contrary to public perception, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt only played a minor role in the decision making process. The State governments especially, dominated by Helmut Kohl and Klaus Schütz, pushed through their concessionary attitude. It also becomes clear that the new, media-orientated strategy of the terrorists as well as the overstrained and internally shaken Berlin State police sharply limited the governmental scope of action. The “successful” abduction of Lorenz set standards for terrorist as well as governmental actions, as the terrorist occupation of the Stockholm embassy showed soon after.
Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag
Print ISSN: 0042-5702
Volume: 55, 04/2007
Pages: 641 - 678