Deutschland im Herbst (1978)

Germany in Autumn has a unique structure, blending documentary and traditional film elements to capture the atmosphere in Germany in the late 1970s. The film spans two months in 1977, during which time a businessman was kidnapped and murdered by the left-wing extremist group RAF-Red Army Faction. The kidnapping was an attempt to secure the release of the RAF's founding leaders, known as the Baader-Meinhof gang. When the kidnapping and a simultaneous plane hijacking failed, Baader, Ensslin, and Raspe, the three most prominent RAF leaders, died by suicide in prison. Some leftist circles believe the state was responsible for their deaths. The film features various segments, including an extended segment with renowned director Rainer Werner Fassbinder sharing his thoughts on Germany's political climate at the time. Although Fassbinder's scenes appear candid, they were staged. The film also includes documentary footage of the joint funeral of Baader, Ensslin, and Raspe.

Books with substantial mentioning of Deutschland im Herbst

		Tom Pendergast, Sara Pendergast (eds.) International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, 1. Films Detroit/New York/San Francisco/London/Boston/Woodbridge, CT, 2000

		Robert Fischer/Joe Hembus Der Neue Deutsche Film, 1960-1980 München, 1981