
In the Crosshairs: Germany and the RAF
Season 1, Episode 5
Episode Title: The Public
Overview:
In 1972, Heinrich Böll spoke of the absurd war of six terrorists against 60 million Germans. Although the FRG as a state was at no time threatened by RAF terrorism, a dull feeling of fear and terror arose in the public. However, the public did not come into "contact" with the RAF through their own experiences, but exclusively through the mass media. The fifth part of the ARD series traces the development of this mass hysteria. Berlin in the 1960s: students took to the streets against the "mustiness under the robes"; the Springer press countered with "chaotic student hordes"; the CSU, FDP and SPD condemned the APO; Strauß and Geisler polarized against left-wing terrorism; Heinrich Böll, Günter Grass, Günter Wallraff and many others were publicly defamed as RAF sympathizers. Political scientist Iring Fetscher believes that the "pathological overreaction of part of the press virtually encouraged terrorism. The RAF needed publicity to draw attention to itself.