A German business executive who served as the President of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations and was kidnapped and murdered by the Red Army Faction in 1977. He's most known for being a symbol of the struggle against left-wing terrorism in Germany.
Hanns Martin Schleyer was a prominent German business executive and employer representative who served as president of two powerful commercial organizations, the Confederation of German Employers Associations (BDA) and the Federation of German Industries (BDI). He was a key figure in the German economy and industry, known for his conservative and anti-communist views, which made him a target for radical elements of the German student movement in the 1970s.
Schleyer was born on May 1, 1915, in Offenburg, Grand Duchy of Baden, to Ernst Julius Schleyer and Helene Luise Elisabeth Schleyer (née Rheitinger). His father was a judge, and his great-great uncle was Johann Martin Schleyer, a renowned Roman Catholic priest who invented the Volapük language.
Schleyer was kidnapped on September 5, 1977, by the far-left Red Army Faction (RAF), also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group, and subsequently murdered. His driver and police escort of three policemen were also killed when his car was ambushed. The German government determined that it was in the national interest not to negotiate with terrorists.
After his death, Schleyer has been extensively honored in Germany. The Hanns Martin Schleyer Prize, the Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation, and the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle are named in his honor. In 2017, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the German government marked the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping.
Schleyer was a staunch conservative and anti-communist, which shaped his views on economics, industry, and politics. He believed in the importance of free enterprise and the role of employers in shaping the German economy.
Schleyer's legacy extends beyond his role in German industry and economy. His abduction and murder marked a turning point in the German Autumn of 1977, a period of left-wing militant activity in Germany. His death also led to a re-evaluation of the government's response to terrorism and the role of the state in protecting its citizens.
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