Detlev Karsten Rohwedder
Encyclopedia
Detlev Karsten Rohwedder (October 16, 1932 - April 1, 1991) was a German
manager and politician
, as member of the Social Democratic Party. He was manager of the Treuhandanstalt.
Rohwedder was born in Gotha
. While responsible for the privatisation of state-owned property in the GDR
, he was assassinated by a sniper
while standing at the window of his highly protected house in Düsseldorf
. Though never convicted, several members of the leftist terrorist organisation RAF
are assumed to be responsible for the murder.
(Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring 71) by the first of three rifle shots. The second shot wounded his wife Hergard, while the third hit a bookcase.
The shots were fired from 63 meters away from a rifle with NATO standard calibre 7.62x51mm NATO. An inspection of the scene found three cartridge cases, a plastic chair, a towel and a letter claiming responsibility from an RAF commando named after Ulrich Wessel, a minor RAF figure who had died in 1975. The shooter has never been identified.
In 2001, a DNA analysis of hair strands found at the scene, suggested that Wolfgang Grams
was responsible for the killing. The Attorney General
did not name Grams as a suspect, and has not evaluated the evidence. Additionally, there are doubts about the authenticity of the hair as well as issues with the scientific quality of the results obtained eight years after Grams' death.
On April 10, 1991 Rohwedder was honoured in Berlin with a day of mourning by German President Richard von Weizsäcker
, Minister-President of North-Rhine Westphalia, Johannes Rau
, and Chairman of the Board of Treuhandanstalt Jens Odewald.
Reportedly opposed to an unrestricted sell-out of GDR's public-owned factories
he may have occasionally favoured a worker-owned solution. His successor Birgit Breuel
was more in favour of a speedy sell-off to investors.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
manager and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, as member of the Social Democratic Party. He was manager of the Treuhandanstalt.
Rohwedder was born in Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
. While responsible for the privatisation of state-owned property in the GDR
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, he was assassinated by a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
while standing at the window of his highly protected house in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. Though never convicted, several members of the leftist terrorist organisation RAF
Red Army Faction
The radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
are assumed to be responsible for the murder.
Murder
On Monday, April 1, 1991, at 23:30 clock, Rohwedder was shot and killed through a window on the first floor of his house in the suburb of Düsseldorf-NiederkasselDüsseldorf-Niederkassel
Niederkassel is an urban borough of Düsseldorf. It is on the left side of the river Rhine, bordering to Oberkassel and Lörick.Niederkassel was together with Oberkassel and Lörick a part of Heerdt until Heerdt became a part of Düsseldorf in 1909....
(Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring 71) by the first of three rifle shots. The second shot wounded his wife Hergard, while the third hit a bookcase.
The shots were fired from 63 meters away from a rifle with NATO standard calibre 7.62x51mm NATO. An inspection of the scene found three cartridge cases, a plastic chair, a towel and a letter claiming responsibility from an RAF commando named after Ulrich Wessel, a minor RAF figure who had died in 1975. The shooter has never been identified.
In 2001, a DNA analysis of hair strands found at the scene, suggested that Wolfgang Grams
Wolfgang Grams
Wolfgang Grams was a member of the Red Army Faction, a German far-left terrorist organisation.-Life:Wolfgang Grams was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. His parents, Werner and Ruth Grams, were expelled from the east. Werner Grams volunteered for service in the Waffen-SS...
was responsible for the killing. The Attorney General
Attorney General of Germany
The Attorney General of Germany is the federal prosecutor of Germany, representing the federal government at the Bundesgerichtshof, the federal court of justice. The office of the Attorney General is located in Karlsruhe. Besides its role in appellate cases, the Attorney General has primary...
did not name Grams as a suspect, and has not evaluated the evidence. Additionally, there are doubts about the authenticity of the hair as well as issues with the scientific quality of the results obtained eight years after Grams' death.
On April 10, 1991 Rohwedder was honoured in Berlin with a day of mourning by German President Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker , known as Richard von Weizsäcker, is a German politician . He served as Governing Mayor of West Berlin from 1981 to 1984, and as President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1984 to 1994...
, Minister-President of North-Rhine Westphalia, Johannes Rau
Johannes Rau
Johannes Rau was a German politician of the SPD. He was President of Germany from 1 July 1999 until 30 June 2004, and Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1978 to 1998.-Education and work:...
, and Chairman of the Board of Treuhandanstalt Jens Odewald.
Reportedly opposed to an unrestricted sell-out of GDR's public-owned factories
Volkseigener Betrieb
The Volkseigener Betrieb was the legal form of industrial enterprise in East Germany...
he may have occasionally favoured a worker-owned solution. His successor Birgit Breuel
Birgit Breuel
Birgit Breuel is a German politician, representative of the German Christian Democratic Union. She is the former President of the Treuhand Agency, and Commissioner General of the Expo 2000 in Hannover, and later worked in several honorary positions.Birgit Münchmeyer came from a Lower Saxony...
was more in favour of a speedy sell-off to investors.