EU From Red Army Faction to Far-Right: Horst Mahler Dies at 89

[webfact]

video screenshot

 

Horst Mahler, the infamous German militant turned right-wing extremist, has died at the age of 89. Known for his dramatic shift in political allegiance and controversial convictions, Mahler’s life was marked by extreme ideologies from both ends of the spectrum.

 

Mahler, born on 23 January 1936, was a founding member of the Red Army Faction (RAF), a left-wing group infamous for its violent campaign against capitalism and US imperialism. Initially a lawyer, Mahler joined the militants in the late 1960s, defending fellow members Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin. The RAF, responsible for 34 deaths and numerous injuries, disbanded in 1998 but remained a permanent part of German history.

 

Arrested in 1970, Mahler was sentenced to 14 years for bank robberies motivated by far-left ideals. In prison, he reportedly distanced himself from his former militancy. Released after a decade, Mahler resumed his legal practice in 1987, aided by future German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

 

However, by the 1990s, Mahler’s political orientation dramatically changed. He joined the far-right National Democratic Party, representing them in a failed attempt to thwart a government ban. His later years were marred by multiple convictions for Holocaust denial, resulting in cumulative sentences of 10 years. Despite illness, he penned a 200-page antisemitic manifesto while incarcerated, which mysteriously surfaced online.

 

In 2017, Mahler fled to Hungary to avoid reimprisonment caused by interrupted sentences related to his health issues. He claimed asylum but was eventually extradited to Germany and continued his prison term, reported ABC News.

 

Released in 2020 due to health issues, Mahler resided quietly in Kleinmachnow near Berlin as another trial was paused indefinitely this year.

 

As Mahler’s life closed, it reflected a turbulent journey from left-wing militancy to far-right extremism, navigating through periods of incarceration and controversial legal practice. His death at a Berlin hospital marks the end of a divisive figure whose actions and beliefs sparked significant debate and controversy throughout Germany and beyond.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from ABC News 2025-08-01

 

 

[Bday Prang]

that's not a far right extremist!   At least not when compared to the concerned mothers in the UK who are worried for their daughters safety following rapes by illegal immigrants

[Chomper Higgot]

44 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

that's not a far right extremist!   At least not when compared to the concerned mothers in the UK who are worried for their daughters safety following rapes by illegal immigrants

He’s was a  rabid antisemite and Holocaust denier.

 

Very clearly a rightwing extremist, though perhaps not as extreme as you would wish.

 

 

 

[UWEB]

Good, one right wing a... hole less in Germany.

[newbee2022]

I think German politics shifted in this time too.

Not to the better

[Bday Prang]

28 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

He’s was a  rabid antisemite and Holocaust denier.

 

Very clearly a rightwing extremist, though perhaps not as extreme as you would wish.

 

 

 

or the concerned mothers I mentioned of course

[JAG]