What was the RAF all about?

[symtoms_of_humanity]

I am wondering because I was looking around the internet on google and typed in Red Army, and thay came up in some of it and was wondering if someone could help me with what thier goals were, their size, some thing they carried out, and the motives behind the attacks or w/e

[Hiero]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2005, 11:56 AM
I am wondering because I was looking around the internet on google and typed in Red Army, and thay came up in some of it and was wondering if someone could help me with what thier goals were, their size, some thing they carried out, and the motives behind the attacks or w/e
I think it had to do with US imperialism in West Germany.

[RedAnarchist]

Basically, there were still loads of Nazis in the W. German government, so they partly helped cleanse Germany of these viruses.

[redvanguard]

I wouldn’t regard the last post at all. Their was no National Socialists post 1945.
(Having written a paper on Andreas Baader this area appealed to me in my first year at university)

The RAF or Rote Armee Fraktion where a terrorist organistion formed by Andreas Baader and his girlfriend/partner Gudrun Ensslin together known as the " Baader-Meinhof Gang." Baader and Gudrun met within an artist/socialist commune in West Germany, disgruntled by the apparent economic success of western Germany, death of peacefull protesters, failure of peacefull demonstration and the fact that they had not joined with the Warsaw pact nations Baader rapidly developed groups to bring about a revolution within West Germany. It was hoped that the German govt would think their was a large communist conspiracy and suppress the movement and civil liberties thus producing discontent and action against the govt. Famously evading the police in 1970 with the help of journalist Ulrike Meinhof (radical socialist). They created the Baader-Meinhof Gang with Meinhof playing little to no role in the leadership of the organisation.

RAF or Rote Armee Fraktion comes from RED ARMY FACTION, this was a tribute to the radical left wing organisation. The word 'Faction' was given to make the impression it was part of a larger operation.

Baader a Marxist-Leninist thought that direct action could bring about a revolutionary insurgency within West Germany. Robbing banks to fund the movement parrals the actions of the earlier Bolsheviks and redistributions programmes. Living a life of luxury within 5 star hotels and villas the RAF lived the life those they wished to over throw. ( brings a new slant to 'know your enemy' :huh: ) there 'Rock and Roll' attitude to guerrilla insurgency got them a bit of a reputation, later being expelled from a fedayeen training camp in Jordan in 1970 for drinking and dancing women dancing naked on the rooftops of Muslim training camps. Later Baader replied “The anti-imperialist struggle and sexual emancipation go hand-in-hand, fucking and shooting are the same thing!”

It was in 1972 that the 'pigs' caught Baader in a spectacular fire fight, Baader wounded in the leg by a sniper fought until he ran out of ammo and grenades. It took four men to arrest wounded baader..

Now the reason why Baader is remberd is because of his murder/suicide. PLO members hijacking planes demanding their release failed to sway the West German govt. even the seize of the west german embassy failed to create a response (at the time the German govt really feared Baader) Baader was then convicted in what was the longest and most expensive trial in German history. He died in his prison cell from a gunshot wound. It was either suicide or murder.

While in prison over the next four years, Meinhof grew increasingly depressed as the other gang members ostracize her. She hung herself in her cell on 9 May, 1976 (though some have questioned this official explanation and instead suspect that she was murdered by the state).

Depending on whom you believe Baaders girlfriend Gudrun Ensslin the real female leader of RAF, either hung herself or was murdered early in the morning of 18 October 1977 in her prison cell in Stammheim Prison.

Hope this helps... But rem kids. Terrorism doesn’t work. Read your Lenin and Che. If you don’t have the support of the people you will be ostracised from the people you fight for!

[romanm]

There were really two organizations claiming the RAF name. The first generation, the BM gang didn't do to much. It was the 2nd generation when another group called SPK took the RAF name. They were the ones who did the more spectacular actions like the hijackings and embassey take over. As for the post-SPK RAF who knows..

If you read their documents they make very superficial references to Marx, Lenin, Che and Mao.

[symtoms_of_humanity]

So they all ended up in prison and died, then a second generation came in?