COLOGNE — 1977 · Murder
Kidnapping of Hanns Martin Schleyer
Hanns Martin Schleyer, president of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations, was kidnapped in Cologne on 5 September 1977 by a Red Army Faction (RAF) commando; his driver and three police officers were killed in the ambush. The RAF demanded the release of its leaders held in Stammheim prison; the West German government refused to negotiate. In October the Lufthansa jet 'Landshut', hijacked by Palestinian militants, was stormed by special forces in Mogadishu, and the same night the RAF leaders in Stammheim were found dead in their cells. Schleyer was then killed; his body was found on 18-19 October in the boot of a car in Mulhouse, France. Several RAF members involved were later tried and convicted. The kidnapping was the climax of the 'German Autumn'.
- Date
- 1977
- Place
- North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Cologne, DE
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 50.9420, 6.9050 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 5 September 1977Schleyer was kidnapped in Cologne; his four escorts were killed.
- 13 October 1977The Lufthansa jet 'Landshut' was hijacked.
- 18 October 1977The plane was stormed in Mogadishu; RAF leaders were found dead in Stammheim.
- October 1977Schleyer's body was found in the boot of a car in Mulhouse.
- 2017The President and the government marked the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping.
Sources
- DW — Hanns Martin Schleyer: sacrificed by the state? dw.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Hanns Martin Schleyer en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Wikipedia — Deutscher Herbst de.wikipedia.org ↗
- DW
- FAZ
- 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.