The career of Ulrike Meinhof transitioned from mainstream West German journalism to the clandestine militancy of the Red Army Faction during the late 1960s. Her professional output includes sociological inquiries, screenwriting, and political manifestos that reflected the intensifying radicalisation within the student movement and the broader political climate of her era.
Academic and Professional Formation
Born in Oldenburg in 1934, Meinhof completed her education at the Cäcilienschule Oldenburg and later attended the University of Münster. During her university years, she became active in the Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund, engaging in protests against nuclear weapons deployment. In 1959, she joined the Communist Party of Germany and began contributing to the monthly magazine Konkret. Serving as chief editor from 1962 to 1964, she utilised the platform to publish commentary on political issues, including the Iranian Pahlavi dynasty and the Vietnam War.
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Meinhof’s political perspective shifted following the 1968 attempted assassination of Rudi Dutschke. She began associating with figures such as Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin, moving away from conventional journalism. By 1969, she publicly distanced herself from Konkret, citing its increasing commercialisation. Her final individual creative project was the 1970 film Bambule, which examined the conditions of girls in juvenile detention. Shortly thereafter, she became involved in the jailbreak of Andreas Baader, marking her definitive entry into underground militant activities.
Legal Proceedings and Death
In 1972, Meinhof participated in the Red Army Faction’s May Offensive and was arrested in June of that year. A 1974 court ruling sentenced her to eight years for her role in the 1970 jailbreak operation. While awaiting trial for additional charges of murder and attempted murder in 1976, she was discovered dead in her cell at Stammheim Prison. Official reports classified the event as suicide, though the circumstances remained a subject of public and private dispute following her passing at age 42.
Fast facts
- Born: 1934, Oldenburg
- Died: 1976, Stuttgart
- Education: University of Münster
- Primary Occupations: Journalist, writer, sociologist, screenwriter
- Key Political Affiliation: Red Army Faction
- Burial Site: Friedhof III der Dreifaltigkeitsgemeinde
Questions readers ask
Did Meinhof have any health issues?
Yes, in 1962 she underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.
What was her role in the Red Army Faction?
She was a founding member and a reputed author of the 1971 manifesto, The Urban Guerilla Concept.
Achievements
- Educated at University of Münster and Cäcilienschule Oldenburg
- Worked as journalist, writer and sociologist
