Gerold von Braunmühl (15 September 1935 – 10 October 1986) was a senior West German diplomat who was assassinated in 1986 by the Germanfar-left guerrilla group, the Red Army Faction (RAF).
Gerold von Braunmühl came from a noble family of Swabian origin. Born in the then-German city of Breslau, he grew up in Mainz and attended the Rabanus-Maurus-Gymnasium. Braunmühl studied law at the University of Mainz and earned a doctorate in 1963. In 1964, he married Hilde, daughter of a professor of medicine at Alice Hospital in Mainz. Subsequently, he studied International Relations at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in Bologna (1964-1965) as well as at their main campus in Washington, DC (1965-1966), and graduated with a Master's degree.[1]
Activity in the Foreign Officeedit
In 1966, Braunmühl joined the Foreign Service and worked as an attaché at the West German Embassy in Washington in 1967. In 1971, he joined the Unit for Germany and Berlin in the Bonn headquarters, where he eventually became Secretary to the closest advisors of Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher. In 1985, he became the Head of Political Division II in charge of European Political Cooperation, the Western European Union, and NATO, as well as for relations with the Soviet bloc, so that he had become one of the most influential officials in the Foreign Office. Braunmühl was instrumental in improving relations with the Soviet Union and Poland, which had cooled since the ban of the Polish trade union movement. He was considered a likely candidate for the post of Secretary of State in the Foreign Office.
Gerold von Braunmühl, Dirk von Braunmühl, grave on the cemetery Bonn-PoppelsdorfMemorial plaque in Bonn-Ippendorf at crime scene
Murderedit
On the evening of 10 October, 1986, Braunmühl was shot by two people outside his residence in Bonn as he was arriving home from work. As he got out of his taxi, an unknown masked gunman came up to him and shot him twice in the upper body. As Braunmühl tried to escape behind a parked car, there appeared a second masked gunman who shot him at close range in the head, and disappeared together with the first gunman. The perpetrators fled to Bonn Endenich, where four days later their getaway car was discovered. Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who had recently been released from hospital, wrote in his memoirs that he received a phone call from Mrs. Hilde Braunmühl, who said to him: "My husband has been shot." Then Genscher went to Ippendorf to the house of his former office manager. In the words of FM Genscher: "I will never forget the image of Gerold Braunmühl lying dead on the road in front of me."
The main suspects in his murder are Red Army Faction members Barbara and Horst Ludwig Meyer but there is no evidence. In the forensic examination of the projectiles, a revolver of the Smith & Wesson type was identified, most likely the same type of gun with which West German business leader Hanns Martin Schleyer had been executed (also by the RAF). Braunmühl left behind a wife and three children. His funeral took place in the Bonn Beethoven Hall and he was buried in Poppelsdorf Cemetery in Bonn. Near his residence in Bonn, Buchholzstraße 39, a commemorative plate was mounted in 1987 with the following text: "Here died on 10.10.1986 Dr. Gerold Braunmühl, Political Director of the Foreign Office. He was murdered by terrorists." Soon thereafter, Gerold Braunmühl Auditorium was dedicated in the (now defunct) training and education center of the Foreign Ministry (diplomatic academy) in Bonn. The Federal Foreign Office commemorates him through a memorial wall in the old building of the construction on the Werder market in Berlin for members who were killed in the line of duty.
Open letter by the Braunmühl brothers to the RAFedit
In November 1986, the five brothers of Gerold Braunmühl wrote an open letter to the RAF, on the one hand to get an answer to the meaning and motives for his murder, and on the other hand to enter into a kind of "dialogue", to prevent further such acts.[2][3][4]
Referencesedit
^Senior Bonn Official is Slain by Masked Gunman The New York Times, 11 October 1986
^"A letter and its consequences", Der Spiegel, 13 September, no. 21, 1988
^"No paper can replace a conversation", Der Spiegel, 13 September, SPIEGEL-Interview with former terrorists Peter-Jürgen Boock, no. 39, 1988
December 15, 2023
gerold, braunmühl, gerold, braunmühl, september, 1935, october, 1986, senior, west, german, diplomat, assassinated, 1986, german, left, guerrilla, group, army, faction, contents, life, work, activity, foreign, office, murder, open, letter, braunmühl, brothers,. Gerold von Braunmuhl 15 September 1935 10 October 1986 was a senior West German diplomat who was assassinated in 1986 by the German far left guerrilla group the Red Army Faction RAF Contents 1 Life and work 2 Activity in the Foreign Office 3 Murder 4 Open letter by the Braunmuhl brothers to the RAF 5 ReferencesLife and work editGerold von Braunmuhl came from a noble family of Swabian origin Born in the then German city of Breslau he grew up in Mainz and attended the Rabanus Maurus Gymnasium Braunmuhl studied law at the University of Mainz and earned a doctorate in 1963 In 1964 he married Hilde daughter of a professor of medicine at Alice Hospital in Mainz Subsequently he studied International Relations at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in Bologna 1964 1965 as well as at their main campus in Washington DC 1965 1966 and graduated with a Master s degree 1 Activity in the Foreign Office editIn 1966 Braunmuhl joined the Foreign Service and worked as an attache at the West German Embassy in Washington in 1967 In 1971 he joined the Unit for Germany and Berlin in the Bonn headquarters where he eventually became Secretary to the closest advisors of Foreign Minister Hans Dietrich Genscher In 1985 he became the Head of Political Division II in charge of European Political Cooperation the Western European Union and NATO as well as for relations with the Soviet bloc so that he had become one of the most influential officials in the Foreign Office Braunmuhl was instrumental in improving relations with the Soviet Union and Poland which had cooled since the ban of the Polish trade union movement He was considered a likely candidate for the post of Secretary of State in the Foreign Office nbsp Gerold von Braunmuhl Dirk von Braunmuhl grave on the cemetery Bonn Poppelsdorf nbsp Memorial plaque in Bonn Ippendorf at crime sceneMurder editOn the evening of 10 October 1986 Braunmuhl was shot by two people outside his residence in Bonn as he was arriving home from work As he got out of his taxi an unknown masked gunman came up to him and shot him twice in the upper body As Braunmuhl tried to escape behind a parked car there appeared a second masked gunman who shot him at close range in the head and disappeared together with the first gunman The perpetrators fled to Bonn Endenich where four days later their getaway car was discovered Foreign Minister Hans Dietrich Genscher who had recently been released from hospital wrote in his memoirs that he received a phone call from Mrs Hilde Braunmuhl who said to him My husband has been shot Then Genscher went to Ippendorf to the house of his former office manager In the words of FM Genscher I will never forget the image of Gerold Braunmuhl lying dead on the road in front of me The main suspects in his murder are Red Army Faction members Barbara and Horst Ludwig Meyer but there is no evidence In the forensic examination of the projectiles a revolver of the Smith amp Wesson type was identified most likely the same type of gun with which West German business leader Hanns Martin Schleyer had been executed also by the RAF Braunmuhl left behind a wife and three children His funeral took place in the Bonn Beethoven Hall and he was buried in Poppelsdorf Cemetery in Bonn Near his residence in Bonn Buchholzstrasse 39 a commemorative plate was mounted in 1987 with the following text Here died on 10 10 1986 Dr Gerold Braunmuhl Political Director of the Foreign Office He was murdered by terrorists Soon thereafter Gerold Braunmuhl Auditorium was dedicated in the now defunct training and education center of the Foreign Ministry diplomatic academy in Bonn The Federal Foreign Office commemorates him through a memorial wall in the old building of the construction on the Werder market in Berlin for members who were killed in the line of duty Open letter by the Braunmuhl brothers to the RAF editIn November 1986 the five brothers of Gerold Braunmuhl wrote an open letter to the RAF on the one hand to get an answer to the meaning and motives for his murder and on the other hand to enter into a kind of dialogue to prevent further such acts 2 3 4 References edit Senior Bonn Official is Slain by Masked Gunman The New York Times 11 October 1986 Kalenderblatt 10 Oktober 1986 Deutsche Welle A letter and its consequences Der Spiegel 13 September no 21 1988 No paper can replace a conversation Der Spiegel 13 September SPIEGEL Interview with former terrorists Peter Jurgen Boock no 39 1988 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gerold Braunmuhl amp oldid 1180614628, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
