Susanne Osthoff facts for kids

Susanne Kristina Osthoff (born March 7, 1962, in Munich) is a German archaeologist. She worked in Iraq from 1991 until she was taken hostage there on November 25, 2005. She was released by her captors on December 18, 2005.

Her Early Life and Work

Susanne Osthoff grew up in Grafing, a town in Bavaria, Germany. She has two brothers and one sister. After finishing school, she studied Near Eastern archaeology and Semitic languages at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

During her studies, she traveled to countries like Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. She took part in archaeological digs in these places. Susanne married a Jordanian man, and they have a daughter together. She also converted to Sunni Islam. From 1991, she lived mostly in Iraq, working as an archaeologist. She also helped people as an aid worker.

The Abduction in Iraq

In the summer of 2005, Susanne Osthoff, who had converted to Sunni Islam, reportedly received threats that she might be kidnapped. She told American officials about these threats. Even though the threats seemed serious and the German embassy asked her to leave Iraq, Susanne decided to stay and continue her work.

On November 25, 2005, Susanne and her driver disappeared while traveling from Baghdad to Arbil. Soon after, a DVD with a video clip was given to the ARD news office in Baghdad. The video showed Susanne and her driver surrounded by masked, armed men. These men read a statement demanding that the German government stop working with the Iraqi government.

At first, people thought the kidnapping was for political reasons. However, some experts believed the kidnappers might have been criminals looking for money. This was because the video was not very professional. Also, the German government had always been against American involvement in Iraq, which made a political kidnapping seem less likely to some.

Al Jazeera reported that Susanne Osthoff said her kidnappers were not criminals. She stated they only wanted Germany to send humanitarian aid to Sunni Arabs in Iraq. She also said they did not ask for money. Susanne Osthoff and her driver were freed on December 18, 2005.

After Her Release

After her release, Susanne Osthoff gave an interview to the Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera on December 23. Due to a translation mistake by the DPA (German Press Agency), it seemed she wanted to go back to Iraq to continue her projects. German officials warned her that returning would be dangerous. They strongly advised her not to go back. The German Department of Foreign Affairs even asked the Iraqi government not to give her a new visa.

Susanne Osthoff gave her first television interview in Germany to ZDF on December 28. She appeared in traditional Muslim clothing, including a headscarf. Many people in Germany felt she seemed distant or changed during this interview. The interview was edited before it was shown on TV.

Reports and Explanations

On January 28, 2006, the German magazine Focus reported that some money, believed to be part of a ransom paid by the German government for her freedom, was found on Susanne Osthoff after her release. The magazine claimed that officials at the German embassy in Baghdad found several thousand U.S. dollars in her clothes. The serial numbers on these bills reportedly matched those used by the government to pay the kidnappers. The German Foreign Ministry did not comment on this report.

Susanne Osthoff gave another interview on the German television chat show 'Beckmann' (ARD) on January 8, 2007. She explained that the kidnappers had given her some money. She said it was to make up for her personal belongings that had been stolen, like a digital camera. She also stated that she had shown this money to a German embassy official during their first meeting.