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Rolf Ludwig Pohle was an ambiguous person who was well-known for his activist work and his contentious affiliation with the terrorist group the Red Army Faction (RAF). Pohle, who was born on January 4, 1942, in Berlin, had important life events that took him from being a student activist to being imprisoned and, eventually, to exile in Athens, Greece, where he died on February 7, 2004.
Rolf Ludwig Biography
Pohle’s early life was shaped by his academic pursuits and a growing passion for activism. Rolf Pohle was raised by his father, Rudolf Pohle, a professor of law, thus he was familiar with the academic environment from an early age. He attended Munich’s Maximiliansgymnasium and afterward sought a law degree, graduating in 1966 after completing his studies in Berlin and Munich.
Pohle actively participated in several student groups during his academic career. He joined the Extra-parliamentary Opposition (APO), a left-wing political organization that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and eventually adopted its beliefs. The APO is also known as the German Liberal Students’ Club (Liberer Studentenbund Deutschlands).
Rolf Pohle was chosen to lead a group of students at Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University in 1967. After the April 1968 assassination attempt on student leader Rudi Dutschke, his political activity increased. After the event, Pohle decided to represent the APO members who had been detained, demonstrating his dedication to the cause.
In 1971, Pohle was detained for the first time, and his life took a drastic change. In 1974, he was facing a serious punishment after serving almost two years in prison. Due to allegations that he belonged to the infamous terrorist group Red Army Faction (RAF) and for having guns in his possession, he was given a sentence of six and a half years in jail. Pohle vehemently disputed all of the allegations made against him. He decided to use the song “Mein Name ist Mensch” (My name is Human) as a means of self-expression in front of the jury.
In March 1975, Peter Lorenz, a politician for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was abducted by the Movement of 2nd June, a group working with the RAF. This event proved to be essential in Pohle’s life. In return for Lorenz’s life, the kidnappers wanted Pohle and other RAF men released. The demands were met after considerable pressure on the German government, and the detainees were sent to South Yemen.
From South Yemen, Rolf Pohle made his way to Greece, where he was subsequently arrested in July 1976. Two years after being freed, Rolf Pohle decided to move to Athens, Greece, where he would live out the rest of his days. He obtained employment as a German language teacher and interpreter in Athens. He married Katerina Iatropoulou, a lawyer who had worked on his defense during the extradition proceeding.
What was the Cause of Rolf Ludwig’s Death?
On February 7, 2004, he passed away after a long battle with cancer. There are conflicting reports regarding the cause of his death, with some suggesting it was due to AIDS.
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