Ulrike Meinhof facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ulrike Meinhof
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Meinhof as a journalist, c. 1964
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| Born |
Ulrike Marie Meinhof
7 October 1934 |
| Died | 9 May 1976 (aged 41) |
| Organization | Red Army Faction |
| Spouse(s) | Klaus Rainer Röhl (divorced) |
| Children |
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Ulrike Marie Meinhof (born October 7, 1934 – died May 9, 1976) was a German journalist. She was also a founding member of a group called the Red Army Faction (RAF) in West Germany. This group was sometimes called the "Baader-Meinhof gang" by the news.
Meinhof was arrested in June 1972 and stayed in prison for the rest of her life. She was held mostly by herself. In November 1974, she was sentenced to 8 years in prison. From 1975, she was on trial with other RAF leaders. She was found dead in her prison cell before the trial ended.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ulrike Meinhof was born in 1934 in Oldenburg, Germany. Her father, Werner Meinhof, worked at the Jena Museum. He passed away from cancer in 1940. After his death, her mother, Ingeborg Meinhof, took in a boarder to help with money.
In 1946, her family moved back to Oldenburg. This happened after Jena came under the control of the Soviet Union. Ulrike's mother, who studied art history, started working as a teacher. She also passed away from cancer in 1949. Renate Riemeck, the former boarder, then became the guardian for Ulrike and her older sister, Wienke.
Becoming a Student Activist
In 1952, Meinhof finished her Abitur, which is like a high school diploma in Germany. She then went to study different subjects at Marburg University. There, she became involved in groups that wanted to make changes in society.
In 1957, she moved to the University of Münster. She joined a student group called the Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund (SDS). She also took part in protests against Germany getting more weapons and nuclear bombs. These weapons were suggested by the government at the time. Meinhof became a leader in the local "Anti Atomic-Death Committee." In 1958, she wrote articles for various student newspapers.
Working at Konkret Magazine
In 1959, Meinhof joined a political party that was not allowed at the time. Later, she started working at a magazine called konkret. This magazine was secretly funded by the East German government until 1964.
Konkret was very popular among students and thinkers who wanted social change. From 1962 to 1964, Meinhof was the chief editor. She was able to get well-known journalists and writers to contribute to the magazine.
On June 2, 1967, Meinhof wrote an article in konkret. It showed how Germany was involved in supporting the leader of Iran, the Shah. This article helped students gather for a protest in West Berlin against the Shah's visit. During the protest, Iranian supporters and police attacked the students. A police officer shot and killed a student protester named Benno Ohnesorg.
In February 1968, Meinhof attended a big meeting in West Berlin about the Vietnam War. She signed a statement with other important thinkers. This statement said that the U.S. actions in Vietnam were like a terrible war from the past. It called for action against the harm being done to the Vietnamese people.
Family Life
In 1961, Meinhof married Klaus Rainer Röhl. He was one of the people who started konkret magazine. They had twin daughters, Regine and Bettina, born in 1962. Meinhof and Röhl separated in 1967 and divorced in 1968.
In 1962, Meinhof had surgery to remove a harmless brain tumor.
Portrayals in Media
Ulrike Meinhof's life has been shown in many films and plays. These include:
- Stammheim (1986) by Reinhard Hauff, which is about the trial she was part of.
- Marianne and Juliane (1981) by Margarethe von Trotta.
- The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) by Uli Edel.
There have also been stage plays and an opera about her. The 2010 documentary Children of the Revolution tells her story from the viewpoint of her daughter, Bettina Röhl.
Music Inspired by Ulrike Meinhof
Several musicians have created songs or albums inspired by Ulrike Meinhof:
- In 1975, Italian singer Claudio Lolli mentioned her in his song "Incubo Numero Zero."
- Marianne Faithfull's 1979 album Broken English has a song dedicated to Meinhof.
- The band Chumbawamba's 1990 album Slap! has two tracks named after her.
- The group Doris Days made a song called "To Ulrike M." which includes a German voice recording.
- The German band Rammstein featured a character like Meinhof in their 2019 music video for "Deutschland."
- The English band Ulrika Spacek took part of their name from Meinhof.
Films & Documentaries About Her
- Ulrike Marie Meinhof, a documentary from 1994.
- Ulrike Meinhof – Wege in den Terror (Ulrike Meinhof – Paths to Terror), a 2006 documentary.
- So macht Kommunismus Spass (Making Communism Fun), a 2006 documentary by her daughter, Bettina Röhl.
- The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008).
- Children of the Revolution (2010).
Images for kids
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Ulrike Meinhof as a young journalist around 1964.
