Susanne Albrecht
Encyclopedia
Susanne Albrecht is a former member of the Red Army Faction
.
. She did not fit in well in public school, and was later sent to a private school
in Holzminden
. In 1971 she attended the University of Hamburg
where she studied sociology
, and it was around this time that she became interested in Marxism
. She joined several political groups and even a squatters group before moving into an apartment with Karl-Heinz Dellwo. She also began to mingle with some Red Army Faction
(RAF) members, such as Ilse Stachowiak, to whom she sometimes gave her ID papers
.
In 1974, along with Dellwo and a few other people who would all later become involved with the RAF, she joined the Committee Against the Torture of Political Prisoners in West Germany, which protested against the conditions that several imprisoned RAF terrorists were living in.
In Hamburg, she rented an apartment with six other people which had no shower or bath. She was known to have said about her former home-life; "I was sick of pigging out on caviar
and smoked salmon."
She, along with Sigrid Sternebeck and Silke Maier-Witt (who were collectively known as the Hamburg Aunties), became very important to the left-wing scene and Albrecht began to further strengthen her connection to the RAF.
, with whom she had a son. Neither knew of her past. She lived in Köthen, but in 1986 was recognised when West German television reports were broadcast regarding information on the RAF, prompting her to move to Berlin
. However when Germany reunified she was found living as a housewife under the name "Becker" and was arrested, the first of eight arrests in a ten-day period, in front of her apartment on June 6, 1990. She was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment by the upper state court in Stuttgart
, however she served only half her term when she was paroled in 1996.
Recently, Albrecht has been working as a German language teacher to immigrant children in a Bremen
primary school under an assumed name.
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...
.
Early life
Albrecht was the daughter of a successful maritime lawyer, and spent her childhood living in a wealthy suburb of HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. She did not fit in well in public school, and was later sent to a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
in Holzminden
Holzminden
Holzminden is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located directly on the river Weser, which here is the border to North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:...
. In 1971 she attended the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
where she studied sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, and it was around this time that she became interested in Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
. She joined several political groups and even a squatters group before moving into an apartment with Karl-Heinz Dellwo. She also began to mingle with some Red Army Faction
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...
(RAF) members, such as Ilse Stachowiak, to whom she sometimes gave her ID papers
Identity document
An identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...
.
In 1974, along with Dellwo and a few other people who would all later become involved with the RAF, she joined the Committee Against the Torture of Political Prisoners in West Germany, which protested against the conditions that several imprisoned RAF terrorists were living in.
In Hamburg, she rented an apartment with six other people which had no shower or bath. She was known to have said about her former home-life; "I was sick of pigging out on caviar
Caviar
Caviar, sometimes called black caviar, is a luxury delicacy, consisting of processed, salted, non-fertilized sturgeon roe. The roe can be "fresh" or pasteurized, the latter having much less culinary and economic value....
and smoked salmon."
She, along with Sigrid Sternebeck and Silke Maier-Witt (who were collectively known as the Hamburg Aunties), became very important to the left-wing scene and Albrecht began to further strengthen her connection to the RAF.
Terrorism
- In July 1977, Albrecht visited her sister's godfatherGodparentA godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
Juergen Ponto, chairman of the Dresdner BankDresdner BankDresdner Bank AG was one of Germany's largest banking corporations and was based in Frankfurt. It was acquired by competitor Commerzbank in December 2009.- 19th century :...
, with whom her family was on such close terms that she called him "Uncle Juergen". She was accompanied by Brigitte MohnhauptBrigitte MohnhauptBrigitte Margret Ida Mohnhaupt is a German militant associated with the second generation of the Red Army Faction members. She was also part of the Socialist Patients' Collective...
and Christian KlarChristian KlarChristian Klar was a leading member of the second generation Red Army Faction between the 1970s and 80s...
. Together they attempted to kidnap Ponto, but once he resisted he was shot at by Mohnhaupt and Klar and murdered. A communiqueCommuniqueA communiqué is a brief report or statement released by a public agency.Communiqué may also refer to:* Communiqué , a rock band* Communiqué , 1979* Communiqué , 1987...
was issued after Ponto's murder, signed by Albrecht which read;
"it had not been clear to us that these people, who start wars in the Third World and destroy entire populations, are dumbfounded when violence faces them in their own house."
- Between 1978 and 1979, Albrecht travelled to YemenYemenThe Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, where she trained in guerilla warfare in a PalestinianPalestinian nationalismPalestinian nationalism is the national movement of the Palestinian people. It has roots in Pan-Arabism and other movements rejecting colonialism and calling for national independence. More recently, Palestinian Nationalism is expressed through the Israeli–Palestinian conflict...
training camp. - In June 1979, Albrecht alongside Werner Lotze and Rolf Clemens WagnerRolf Clemens WagnerRolf Clemens Wagner is a former member of the Red Army Faction .-Terrorism:Wagner carried out most of his terrorists actions in the 70s, and became an active member of the second generation RAF...
attempted to assassinate NATO commander-in-chief Alexander HaigAlexander HaigAlexander Meigs Haig, Jr. was a United States Army general who served as the United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House Chief of Staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...
in MonsMonsMons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
by detonating explosives near his car. The attempt failed however and Haig was not injured as the bomb exploded too late. - In 1980, Albrecht fled to the German Democratic RepublicGerman Democratic RepublicThe 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...
where she was protected by the StasiStasiThe Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
and given new identification.
Arrest and imprisonment
In East Germany, Albrecht worked as an English translator under the name Ingrid Jäger, and married a scientistScientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, with whom she had a son. Neither knew of her past. She lived in Köthen, but in 1986 was recognised when West German television reports were broadcast regarding information on the RAF, prompting her to move to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. However when Germany reunified she was found living as a housewife under the name "Becker" and was arrested, the first of eight arrests in a ten-day period, in front of her apartment on June 6, 1990. She was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment by the upper state court in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, however she served only half her term when she was paroled in 1996.
Recently, Albrecht has been working as a German language teacher to immigrant children in a Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
primary school under an assumed name.