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By 1980 Brigitte Heinrich had developed a significant media profile, and between 1980 or 1981 and 1984 she worked as a regular journalist for the [[Berlin]]-based [[Die Tageszeitung|Tageszeitung (daily newspaper)]].<ref name=RAFuswlautUS>{{cite web|url= http://www.taz.de/!241238/|title=Purzelbäume der Geschichte|work=Die taz, die RAF und die Stasi – ein Dreiecksverhältnis voller Überraschungen. Erinnerungen einer taz-Mitbegründerin|author= Ute Scheub|publisher=taz Verlags u. Vertriebs GmbH, Berlin| accessdate=26 May 2018}}</ref> One of her colleagues at the newspaper was the radical lawyer [[Klaus Croissant]].<ref name=RAFuswlautUS/> It was also in 1980 that Brigitte Heinrich finally faced trial. She received a 21 month prison sentence "for weapons smuggling". The context for her trial was her involvement in a German-Italian-Swiss "anarchist" network which was headed up by her friend, the German-Italian alleged terrorist [[:de:Petra Krause (Terroristin)|Petra Krause]].<ref name="Terhoeven2014">{{cite book|author=Petra Terhoeven|title="Solidarität mit der RAF" oder "Vereidigung der Verteidiger"?| work=Deutscher Herbst in Europa: Der Linksterrorismus der siebziger Jahre als transnationales Phänomen| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GHfpBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA440|date=1 January 2014|publisher=De Gruyter| isbn=978-3-486-85558-6|pages=440–441}}</ref> Possibly on account of her excellent media contacts, and the widespread belief on the radical left that prison conditions for West German "political prisoners" were exceptionally grim,<ref name=RAFuswlautUS/> Heinrich's imprisonment became something of a 'cause célèbre'.<ref name=BHlautJA/> Several sources strongly hint that it was because of this that she served her sentence under conditions of "semi-freedom", described by one source as a "daytime release", which enabled her to continue providing contributions to the Tageszeitung while returning to prison at nights.<ref name=RAFuswlautUS/>
By 1980 Brigitte Heinrich had developed a significant media profile, and between 1980 or 1981 and 1984 she worked as a regular journalist for the [[Berlin]]-based [[Die Tageszeitung|Tageszeitung (daily newspaper)]].<ref name=RAFuswlautUS>{{cite web|url= http://www.taz.de/!241238/|title=Purzelbäume der Geschichte|work=Die taz, die RAF und die Stasi – ein Dreiecksverhältnis voller Überraschungen. Erinnerungen einer taz-Mitbegründerin|author= Ute Scheub|publisher=taz Verlags u. Vertriebs GmbH, Berlin| accessdate=26 May 2018}}</ref> One of her colleagues at the newspaper was the radical lawyer [[Klaus Croissant]].<ref name=RAFuswlautUS/> It was also in 1980 that Brigitte Heinrich finally faced trial. She received a 21 month prison sentence "for weapons smuggling". The context for her trial was her involvement in a German-Italian-Swiss "anarchist" network which was headed up by her friend, the German-Italian alleged terrorist [[:de:Petra Krause (Terroristin)|Petra Krause]].<ref name="Terhoeven2014">{{cite book|author=Petra Terhoeven|title="Solidarität mit der RAF" oder "Vereidigung der Verteidiger"?| work=Deutscher Herbst in Europa: Der Linksterrorismus der siebziger Jahre als transnationales Phänomen| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GHfpBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA440|date=1 January 2014|publisher=De Gruyter| isbn=978-3-486-85558-6|pages=440–441}}</ref> Possibly on account of her excellent media contacts, and the widespread belief on the radical left that prison conditions for West German "political prisoners" were exceptionally grim,<ref name=RAFuswlautUS/> Heinrich's imprisonment became something of a 'cause célèbre'.<ref name=BHlautJA/> Several sources strongly hint that it was because of this that she served her sentence under conditions of "semi-freedom", described by one source as a "daytime release", which enabled her to continue providing contributions to the Tageszeitung while returning to prison at nights.<ref name=RAFuswlautUS/>


Her sentence was completed at the end of 1983, and she accepted the offer of a place on the party list of [[Alliance 90/The Greens|the Green Party]] for the [[European Parliament election, 1984|European parliamentary election in June 1984]]. Her name was included high enough up on the list for her to win a seat, and she sat as a [[member of the European Parliament]] till her sudden death in 1987. She died as the result of a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] two days before the end of the year.<ref name=Spiegel391992>{{cite web|pages=35-38|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13682116.html|title=Aufgelöst und hilflos| work=Der einstige Terroristen-Anwalt Klaus Croissant soll die westdeutsche Linke ausgeschnüffelt haben. |date=21 September 1992| publisher=[[Der Spiegel]] (online)| volume=39/1992|accessdate=26 May 2018}}</ref>
Her sentence was completed at the end of 1983, and she accepted the offer of a place on the party list of [[Alliance 90/The Greens|the Green Party]] for the [[European Parliament election, 1984|European parliamentary election in June 1984]]. Reflecting the fringe position which the party then occupied on the West German political spectrum, her name was placed second on the list<ref name="Lodge1986">{{cite book|author=Juliet Lodge|title=Direct Elections to the European Parliament 1984|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NjSwCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA196|date=12 February 1986|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|isbn=978-1-349-18090-5|pages=196}}</ref> and she accordingly became one of the seven German Green Party [[Member of the European Parliament|members of]] [[European Parliament|the parliament]], retaining her seat till her sudden death in 1987. She died as the result of a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] two days before the end of the year.<ref name=Spiegel391992>{{cite web|pages=35-38|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13682116.html|title=Aufgelöst und hilflos| work=Der einstige Terroristen-Anwalt Klaus Croissant soll die westdeutsche Linke ausgeschnüffelt haben. |date=21 September 1992| publisher=[[Der Spiegel]] (online)| volume=39/1992|accessdate=26 May 2018}}</ref>

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En 1982, elle est recrutée par son compagnon Klaus Croissant, avocat et collaborateur de la Stasi. Sous le pseudonyme de Beate Schäfer, elle travaille alors pour les services de renseignements est-allemands comme collaboratrice non officielle, affectée à la section principale XXII (consacrée au terrorisme). On ne sut qu'après sa mort que Klaus Croissant lui donnait ses ordres et lui transmettait son courrier.
En 1982, elle est recrutée par son compagnon Klaus Croissant, avocat et collaborateur de la Stasi. Sous le pseudonyme de Beate Schäfer, elle travaille alors pour les services de renseignements est-allemands comme collaboratrice non officielle, affectée à la section principale XXII (consacrée au terrorisme). On ne sut qu'après sa mort que Klaus Croissant lui donnait ses ordres et lui transmettait son courrier.

Revision as of 19:35, 26 May 2018

Brigitte Heinrich (born 29 June 1941, Frankfurt am Main - 29 December 1987) was a German journalist, and an Alliance '90/The Greens politician.

Biography

In 1966, she became a press spokesperson for the Socialist German Student Union ("Sozialistische Deutsche Studentenbund" / SDS). After completing her degree in Applied Economics ("Volkswirtschaft"), in 1970 she travelled in the Middle-East. During the 1970s she took a lectureship in "International Relations" at Frankfurt University. During this time she maintained contacts with various terrorist groups.[1]

On 26 November 1974 Brigitte Heinrich was arrested. This was part of "Aktion Winterreise", a nationwide raid in fifteen towns and cities, which targeted RAF supporters in the aftermath of the murder of Berlin Court President Günter von Drenkmann by members of the 2 June Movement. Heinrich was arrested on suspicion of "illegal trafficking in weapons and explosives".[1] All those arrested were released after a two weeks, possibly apart from Heinrich. Sources differ over whether she was released after a couple of weeks like the others but then re-arrested soon afterwards, or whether, unlike the others, she remained in investigative custody at this point.[1][2] Heinrich vehemently protested her innocence and some months later became seriously ill. She was released "for reasons of health" before the prosecuting authorities had completed their work on her case.[1]

She returned to Frankfurt University where for several years she combined with her other work the presidency of the student parliament. In 1978 she published a pamphlet in Italian in Milan in the form of a "diary from the dungeon" in which she presented "Aktion Winterreise" as an act of state persecution of intellectuals in Germany, of which she had been a victim.[3] There are indications that during her time in Milan in the late 1970s Heinich was in close contact with members of the Red Brigade terrorist groups.[4]

By 1980 Brigitte Heinrich had developed a significant media profile, and between 1980 or 1981 and 1984 she worked as a regular journalist for the Berlin-based Tageszeitung (daily newspaper).[5] One of her colleagues at the newspaper was the radical lawyer Klaus Croissant.[5] It was also in 1980 that Brigitte Heinrich finally faced trial. She received a 21 month prison sentence "for weapons smuggling". The context for her trial was her involvement in a German-Italian-Swiss "anarchist" network which was headed up by her friend, the German-Italian alleged terrorist Petra Krause.[6] Possibly on account of her excellent media contacts, and the widespread belief on the radical left that prison conditions for West German "political prisoners" were exceptionally grim,[5] Heinrich's imprisonment became something of a 'cause célèbre'.[1] Several sources strongly hint that it was because of this that she served her sentence under conditions of "semi-freedom", described by one source as a "daytime release", which enabled her to continue providing contributions to the Tageszeitung while returning to prison at nights.[5]

Her sentence was completed at the end of 1983, and she accepted the offer of a place on the party list of the Green Party for the European parliamentary election in June 1984. Reflecting the fringe position which the party then occupied on the West German political spectrum, her name was placed second on the list[7] and she accordingly became one of the seven German Green Party members of the parliament, retaining her seat till her sudden death in 1987. She died as the result of a heart attack two days before the end of the year.[8]

After German reunification, it was discovered that she had been recruited by her partner Klaus Croissant as an informant ("Inoffizieller Mitarbeiterin") for the East German Stasi.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Jefferson Adams. "Heinrich, Brigitte". Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence. pp. 171–172. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Brigitte Heinrich, Biographie". Lepsusuber, Auf der suche nach wissen. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  3. ^ Heinrich, Diario del Carcere, 1975: operazione Winterreise e persecuzione degli intellettuali in Germania, Mailand 1978, zitiert nach Petra Terhoeven: Deutscher Herbst in Europa. Oldenbourg, München 2014, p. 440.
  4. ^ Rossana Lucchesi (22 March 2013). RAF und Rote Brigaden – Deutschland und Italien von 1970 bis 1985. Frank & Timme GmbH. p. 228. ISBN 978-3-86596-509-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b c d Ute Scheub. "Purzelbäume der Geschichte". Die taz, die RAF und die Stasi – ein Dreiecksverhältnis voller Überraschungen. Erinnerungen einer taz-Mitbegründerin. taz Verlags u. Vertriebs GmbH, Berlin. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  6. ^ Petra Terhoeven (1 January 2014). "Solidarität mit der RAF" oder "Vereidigung der Verteidiger"?. De Gruyter. pp. 440–441. ISBN 978-3-486-85558-6. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Juliet Lodge (12 February 1986). Direct Elections to the European Parliament 1984. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 196. ISBN 978-1-349-18090-5.
  8. ^ "Aufgelöst und hilflos". Der einstige Terroristen-Anwalt Klaus Croissant soll die westdeutsche Linke ausgeschnüffelt haben. Der Spiegel (online). 21 September 1992. pp. 35–38. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  9. ^ Strafjustiz und DDR-Unrecht: Dokumentation (in German). Klaus Marxen, Gerhard Werle (eds.). Berlin ; New York: De Gruyter. 2000. p. 19. ISBN 3110161346.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Chotjewitz, Peter O. (2007). Mein Freund Klaus: Roman (in German) (1. Aufl ed.). Berlin: Verbrecher. ISBN 9783935843898.

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