Birth of Horst Mahler
Birth of Horst Mahler
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Horst Mahler Biography and Timeline
Follow Horst Mahler through 30 dated historical records for Germany.
Horst Mahler, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
30Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1936–2001Years on this page
1936
1960
SDS
Joins the new organisations call for "extra-parliamentary opposition", or forceful resistance. Expelled from the SDP in 1960, as are other members of the SDS, that had developed from being the SPD youth wing to a radical left-wing group
1964
Ausserparlamentarische Opposition
Mahler joins the Ausserparlamentarische Opposition
1968
Trial
Defends Baader at the Frankfurt arson trial
1970
Red Army Faction
The RAF is formally founded in 1970 by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Muller and others
Red Army Faction
Once Baader escaped, the three, along with Ulrike Meinhof, commit a series of bank robberies. Mahler conceives of an audacious plan to rob four Berlin banks simultaneously
Arrest of Horst Mahler
Acting on a tip, police stake out a Berlin apartment where they have been told that Baader, Ensslin, and Mahler will be meeting. Baader and Ensslin never show, but Mahler, Monika Berberich, Brigitte Asdonk and Irene Goergens are all captured
Red Army Faction
Upon his return from Jordan, Mahler is arrested with fellow RAF members Ingrid Schubert, Brigitte Asdonk, and Irene Goergens
Red Army Faction
The surviving groups members meet up, and with Mahler under arrest, there is little doubt that Baader is in control
Exile of Horst Mahler
Escapes to Jordan and trains in guerrilla tactics with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
PLO
Escapes to Jordan and trains in guerrilla tactics with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Red Army Faction
Escapes to Jordan and trains in guerrilla tactics with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Red Army Faction
Tried and convicted for bank robberies and for assisting Baaders prison escape
Trial
Tried and convicted for bank robberies and for assisting Baaders prison escape
Red Army Faction
Having earlier befriended Ensslin and Baader, Mahler helps plot to spring Baader from prison after his 1970 arrest. Baader, Ensslin, Mahler, and Meinhof go to Jordan for their brief guerrilla warfare training with the PFLP/Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)
Red Army Faction
Mahler conceives of an audacious plan to rob four Berlin banks simultaneously. The Red Army Faction is founded by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Muller and others.
Red Army Faction
Tried and convicted for bank robberies and for assisting Baaders prison escape. Escapes to Jordan and trains in guerrilla tactics with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Once Baader escaped, the three, along with Ulrike Meinhof, commit a series of bank robberies.
Red Army
The Red Army Faction is founded by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Muller and others
1971
Trial
Horst Mahler, Irene Goergens, and Ingrid Schubert go on trial, for their involvement in the release of Baader, in the court of Moabit prison, Mahler is acquitted (though he still has two other charges pending), and Goergens and Schubert are convicted
Manifesto
Writes the Red Army Faction manifesto, "The Urban Guerrilla Concept"
Red Army Faction
Writes the Red Army Faction manifesto, "The Urban Guerrilla Concept". Begin what they called "anti-imperialistic fight", with bank robberies to raise money and bomb attacks against U.S. military facilities, German police stations, and buildings of the Axel Springer press empire
Red Army
Writes the Red Army Faction manifesto, "The Urban Guerrilla Concept"
1974
Manifesto
Mahler penned a manifesto in prison, the rest of the Baader-Meinhof Group, however, resoundingly rejected it - effectively expelling him from the group
Trial
Mahler had been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment and had his license to practice law revoked
1975
Arrest of Horst Mahler
The Movement 2 June takes Peter Lorenz hostage and demands, among others, that Mahler be freed from prison, Mahler is offered liberty, but refuses it
Movement 2 June
The Movement 2 June takes Peter Lorenz hostage and demands, among others, that Mahler be freed from prison, Mahler is offered liberty, but refuses it
1980
Arrest of Horst Mahler
Mahler is freed from prison after serving 10 years of his 14-year sentence, largely due to the efforts of his lawyer, Gerhard Schr”der, who would later become Chancellor
2000
NPD
Mahler joins the National Democratic Party of Germany (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands, or NPD), an extreme nationalist party
2001
Ban
The German Government begins a process to attempt to ban the NPD in 2001, Mahler is an attorney for the party at the time
NPD
The German Government begins a process to attempt to ban the NPD in 2001, Mahler is an attorney for the party at the time
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.