50 Years Later: Remembering the Historic Peter Lorenz Kidnapping

The 1975 abduction of Berlin's CDU leader by the Movement 2 June marked the only instance of a German government yielding to terrorist demands.

Peter Lorenz, CDU's top candidate for Berlin's 1975 elections, was kidnapped on February 27, 1975, just three days before the vote.
The Movement 2 June demanded the release of six imprisoned members, five of whom were flown to South Yemen in exchange for Lorenz's freedom.
Lorenz was held in a Kreuzberg basement and released unharmed on March 4, after the demands were met, setting a controversial precedent in German counterterrorism policy.
The incident influenced Berlin's Abgeordnetenhaus elections, with Lorenz's CDU becoming the strongest party, though the SPD retained power through a coalition with the FDP.
The kidnapping highlighted security vulnerabilities and led to massive police operations, but also raised ethical debates about negotiating with terrorists.