Research on the RAF

Previously known as the “Baader-Meinhof Complex,” the “Rote Armee Fraktion (Red Army Faction) or RAF” was named after two of its founders Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof in 1970.  They considered themselves to be “communist and anti-imperialist urban guerrillas”.  The first generation existed from its founding date until the mid-1970’s when the second generation took over and operated until the late 1970’s.  Finally, the third and final generation took over and operated from the 1980’s to the 1990’s.  The group dissolved on April 20, 1998 according to a letter with the symbol of the RAF stamped on it that was sent to a newspaper.  I believe the purpose behind the “Baader-Meinhof Complex” was to resist the way the government was running things in Germany.  From my understanding they didn’t want to protest because that wouldn’t cause any changes.  In order to produce the effects they wanted they felt the need to take action which involved arson, bombings, robbing banks, killing, and kidnapping.  They also operated as a group to break their leader Andreas Baader out of prison which was when Ulrike Meinhof joined the resistance.  Gudrun Ensslin was not only Andreas Baader’s girlfriend but also the group’s second leader.  The original members were imprisoned and during their incarceration they objected to their conditions through a group hunger strike during which one of the group members died.  In a final act of resistance following Ulrike Meinhof’s suicide the remaining RAF members imprisoned participated in a group suicide.    

The Generations of RAF according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Baader
First Generation: “Brigitte Asdonk · Andreas Baader · Gudrun Ensslin · Ulrike Meinhof · Horst Mahler · Horst Söhnlein · Thorwald Proll · Jan-Carl Raspe · Irmgard Möller · Holger Meins · Astrid Proll · Beate Sturm”
Second Generation: “Siegfried Hausner · Brigitte Mohnhaupt · Sieglinde Hofmann · Margrit Schiller · Verena Becker · Gabriele Kröcher-Tiedemann · Norbert Kröcher · Siegfried Haag · Adelheid Schulz · Peter-Jürgen Boock · Angelika Speitel · Rolf Wagner · Stefan Wisniewski”
Third Generation: “Wolfgang Grams · Birgit Hogefeld · Eva Haule · Andrea Klump”

I think some of the similarities are that most terrorist groups use violence as a method to get attention.  It doesn't seem to matter if innocent people are involved.  Both the RAF and today's terrorist groups use bombs and guns to commit their acts.  I haven't heard about terrorists today robbing banks or setting buildings on fire which the RAF did do.  Terrorists today set up ransom instead.  Also, I haven't heard about terrorists today highjacking cars like the RAF did but both highjacked airplanes. 

Works Cited:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Army_Faction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baader-Meinhof_Complex

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Baader

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrike_Meinhof