Siegfried Hausner

Siegfried Hausner (24 January 1952 – 5 May, 1975) was a student member of the German SPK (Socialist Patients' Collective) and later the terrorist Red Army Faction.

As a Terrorist

As a leading member of the SPK, Hausner was especially involved in the "working circle explosives." Hausner had some knowledge about explosives and, along with Carmen Roll managed to manufacture small amounts of TNT.

In February 1971, Hausner, along with Roll, planned to bomb the President of the Federal Republic’s special train in Heidelberg station, but Roll arrived too late with the explosives and the plot fell through.

Hausner went on to forge links with the RAF when the SPK dissolved even though for a time, according to the testimony of Gerhard Muller, he was distrusted by Gudrun Ensslin (who at one point thought to liquidate him), this was later denied however during the testimony of Brigitte Mohnhaupt. He proved his worth by helping Ulrike Meinhof and Ilse Stachowiak bomb the Axel Springer Verlag in Hamburg on 19 May, 1972.

In 1975 Hausner was involved in the West German embassy siege in Stockholm to force the release of 26 of his RAF comrades. He reportedly supervised the group who attacked the embassy, known as Kommando Holger Meins and was in charge of the wiring the explosives. Twelve hours into the occupation it is believed that the explosives, 15 Kilos of TNT, were accidentally detonated. While fellow Kommando Holger Meins member, Ulrich Wessel was killed instantly (the explosion causing him to drop a hand grenade), Hausner was severally wounded in the explosion, with burns to over 40% of his body and a fractured skull. Despite the recommendations of Swedish doctors, Hausner was immediately flown back to West Germany where he died on May 5th in Stammheim Prison. His hurried relocation to Germany, the quality of treatment he received at Stammheim and his subsequent death led many to blame both the West German government for killing him and the Swedish government for agreeing to his deportation despite being severely injured.

Legacy

After his death, Siegfried Hausner became a martyr to the cause (along with other late terrorists, such as Holger Meins and Petra Schelm).

When Siegfried Buback was assassinated in April 1977, the RAF claimed responsibility in honor of Ulrike Meinhof and Siegfried Hausner. In the final video recording of kidnapped Hanns Martin Schleyer made before his murder by the RAF in October 1977, Schleyer is seen holding a placard that read, “Commando Siegfried Hausner.” The terrorist group involved in Operation Leo planned to rename their unit "Commando Siegfried Hausner" in honour of the deceased terrorist before their plot failed.

Some believe that the assassination of Sweden's prime minister, Olof Palme on 28 February 1986 was in retaliation for his allowing Hausner to be deported.

ources

Book: Hitler's Children by Jillian Becker

ee also

*Members of the Baader-Meinhof Gang
*Red Army Faction