GLADBECK — 1988 · Murder
Gladbeck Hostage Crisis
On the morning of 16 August 1988, two armed men robbed a bank branch in Gladbeck-Rentfort and took two employees hostage. During a crisis lasting about 54 hours, they drove across Germany's motorways, hijacked a public bus with dozens of people aboard in Bremen, crossed into the Netherlands and came back. Journalists gave live interviews with the hostage-takers and hostages and even rode in their car to show them the way. During the crisis a young hostage on the bus was shot by the perpetrators, a police officer died in a traffic accident during the pursuit, and on 18 August another hostage was killed during the police intervention on the A3 motorway near Bad Honnef. Both perpetrators received life sentences. The German Press Council later banned interviews with hostage-takers during such crises.
- Date
- 1988
- Place
- North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Gladbeck, DE
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 51.5850, 6.9600 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 16 August 1988A bank robbery in Gladbeck turned into a hostage crisis.
- 17 August 1988The perpetrators hijacked a bus in Bremen; a young hostage was shot.
- 18 August 1988Police ended the crisis on the A3 motorway; a hostage died.
- 1991Both perpetrators were sentenced to life imprisonment.
- AfterwardsThe Press Council banned interviews with hostage-takers during crises.
Sources
- DW — The hostage crisis that shook Germany's rules of reporting dw.com ↗
- BBC News — Gladbeck: when the media became part of the story bbc.co.uk ↗
- Wikipedia — Gladbeck hostage crisis en.wikipedia.org ↗
- DW
- BBC News
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.