Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03

Gudrun Ensslin Biography and Timeline

Follow Gudrun Ensslin through 29 dated historical records for Germany.

Gudrun Ensslin, historical timeline

A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.

29Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1967–1977Years on this page

1967

Demonstrations

Berlin · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The organisation known as the Movement 2 June, which would become allied to the RAF, is named after the anti-Shah protest in Berlin. Participates in the seminal Berlin protest where a young pacifist named Benno Ohnesorg is killed. After the protest goes to the local SDS office and screams hysterically, "this fascist state means to kill us all! Violence is the only way to answer violence!"

Movement 2 June

Berlin · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The organisation known as the Movement 2 June, which would become allied to the RAF, is named after the anti-Shah protest in Berlin

Red Army Faction

Berlin · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The organisation known as the Movement 2 June, which would become allied to the RAF, is named after the anti-Shah protest in Berlin

1968

Arrest of Gudrun Ensslin

Frankfurt · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Bombs placed by Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin explode at midnight in 2 department stores in Frankfurt-am-Main; they are later arrested and sentenced for arson

Bombing of Frankfurt

Frankfurt · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Bombs placed by Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin explode at midnight in 2 department stores in Frankfurt-am-Main; they are later arrested and sentenced for arson

Trial

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Baader, Ensslin, Sohnlein, and Proll are convicted of Arson, they each get three years

1969

Arrest of Gudrun Ensslin

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The four convicted arsonists Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst S”hnlein, and Thorwald Proll are released from prison pending review of their cases

Arrest of Gudrun Ensslin

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

After serving a year in jail, Ensslin and Baader, and their two co-defendants Horst Sohnlein and Thorwald Proll are released temporarily pending an appeal, when the appeal fails, Ensslin, Baader and Proll escape to France as fugitives

Exile of Gudrun Ensslin

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

After serving a year in jail, Ensslin and Baader, and their two co-defendants Horst S”hnlein and Thorwald Proll are released temporarily pending an appeal, when the appeal fails, Ensslin, Baader and Proll escape to France as fugitives

1970

Arrest of Andreas Baader

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Baader was arrested on 3 April 1970, Ensslin, Ulrike Meinhof, who was at that time a well-known leftist polemicist, and two other women freed him on 14 May 1970

Red Army Faction

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

One person was shot is shot during baaders release, this is the beginning of the gangs violent crimes, and the RAF, Ensslin becomes one of the most wanted people in Germany

Red Army Faction

Berlin · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The RAF is formally founded in 1970 by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Muller and others

Arrest of Andreas Baader

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Baader is arrested and Ensslin convinces her friend Ulrike Meinhof to be part of a plan to break him out of jail in May of 1970

PLO

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Baader, Ensslin, Mahler, and Meinhof go to Jordan where they train for guerrilla warfare with the PLO

Red Army Faction

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Baader, Ensslin, Mahler, and Meinhof go to Jordan for their brief guerrilla warfare training with the PFLP/Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)

Red Army Faction

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Begining of the "anti-imperialistic fight", with bank robberies to raise money and explosives, and arson attacks against U. S. military facilities, German police stations, and buildings of the Axel Springer press empire.

Red Army Faction

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Ensslin spends the next two years helping lead the Red Army Faction wage war on the state, culminating in a May 1970 campaign of terror that left many dead and wounded, and many buildings destroyed.

Red Army Faction

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The Red Army Faction is founded by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Muller and others.

Red Army

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The Red Army Faction is founded by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Muller and others. Ensslin spends the next two years helping lead the Red Army Faction wage war on the state, culminating in a May 1970 campaign of terror that left many dead and wounded, and many buildings destroyed

1971

Movement 2 June

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Former members of Kommune I, and former members of the now-disbanded West Berlin Tupamaros, form "Movement 2 June", Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin encourage the group, which includes Bommi Baumann and Fritz Teufel, to join the RAF

1972

Arrest of Gudrun Ensslin

Hamburg · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Ensslin is captured

Arrest of Gudrun Ensslin

Stuttgart · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The Read Army Faction members are jailed individually in solitary confinement in the newly constructed high security Stammheim Prison in the north of Stuttgart

Red Army Faction

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

After an intense manhunt, Baader, Ensslin, Meinhof, Holger Meins, and Jan-Carl Raspe are arrested

Red Army Faction

Stuttgart · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The Read Army Faction members are jailed individually in solitary confinement in the newly constructed high security Stammheim Prison in the north of Stuttgart

1975

Red Army Faction

Stuttgart · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

The Stammheim trial of Baader, Ensslin, Meinhof, and Jan-Carl Raspe begins, named after a city district of Stuttgart where it takes place

Trial

Stuttgart · Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Opening day of the Stammheim trial of Baader, Ensslin, Meinhof, and Jan-Carl Raspe began, named after a city district of Stuttgart where it takes place

1977

Death of Gudrun Ensslin

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Raspe learns of GSG 9s success on a smuggled transistor radio, and spent the next few hours talking to Baader, Ensslin, and Muller, who agreed to a suicide pact

Suicide

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Raspe learns of GSG 9s success on a smuggled transistor radio, and spent the next few hours talking to Baader, Ensslin, and Muller, who agreed to a suicide pact

Death of Gudrun Ensslin

Politics / Baader-Meinhof Group

Andreas Baader and Jan-Carl Raspe are found dead in their cells, having died from gunshot wounds, while Gudrun Ensslin is found hanging from a noose made from speaker wire

Records, sources and methodology

These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.