The Son of an RAF Victim Acknowledges the Apology of a Former Perpetrator
Jörg Schleyer, the son of Hanns Martin Schleyer, an industrialist who was assassinated by the Red Army Faction (RAF) terrorist group, has expressed his acknowledgment of the apology offered by former RAF member Silke Maier-Witt.
Maier-Witt’s recent autobiography chronicles her involvement in the 1977 kidnapping of Schleyer. She expressed remorse for her actions and, in a letter to Jörg Schleyer, sought forgiveness. Schleyer considers Maier-Witt’s apology significant, as it marks the first instance of a former RAF member acknowledging their responsibility for the atrocities committed by the group.
"She is the only one from the RAF who has apologized to date," Schleyer told the "Süddeutsche Zeitung." "I find that remarkable, which is why I am willing to engage with her."
However, Schleyer emphasized that closure is not a simple matter of forgiving and forgetting. "Forgiveness, pardon, and forgetting are not the same thing," he said.
Maier-Witt, now 75 years old, served a prison sentence after breaking away from the RAF in the late 1970s. While expressing her deep regret, she acknowledged that her actions only brought harm and did nothing to achieve the group’s political goals.
"When you kill people, you only change your own world, burdening it with guilt," she said. "But you don’t improve anything."
Maier-Witt further noted that she has not yet reached out to the families of the four individuals who were killed alongside Schleyer during the kidnapping. "I should do that as well," she said. "There is still so much to do."
She also expressed incomprehension regarding the ongoing support for former RAF members Daniela Klette, Wolfgang Staub, and Burghard Garweg in certain left-wing circles.
"They have lived like ordinary criminals for years, yet they align themselves with the great revolutionaries of the world," Maier-Witt said. Klette was arrested in Berlin in February 2023 and is scheduled to face trial in March.
The Legacy of the RAF and the Path to Reconciliation
The Red Army Faction, a far-left militant group that operated in West Germany during the 1970s and 1980s, was responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, including the kidnapping and assassination of Hanns Martin Schleyer.
Over the years, the group’s history has been the subject of intense debate and scrutiny. While some former RAF members have expressed remorse and renounced their past actions, others have remained unrepentant.
The apology offered by Maier-Witt is a significant step towards reconciliation, but it also highlights the complexities and challenges involved in addressing the legacy of terrorism.
Jörg Schleyer’s willingness to engage with Maier-Witt demonstrates a spirit of openness and a desire to move forward, while also acknowledging the gravity of the crimes committed by the RAF.
The path to reconciliation is a difficult one, and forgiveness may not always be possible. However, gestures of remorse and efforts to address the past can create opportunities for healing and a more just future.
