Lufthansa draft: Why the Landshut should remain a wreck!

Von WOM

Mogadischu, Somalia - In 1977 the Lufthansa Boing 737-230, also known as the "Landshut", became the scene of a dramatic act of terrorism. On October 13, around 2:30 p.m., the plane was kidnapped on the route from Mallorca to Frankfurt/Main by members of the Palestinian terrorist organization PflP, which were tied up with the left -wing extremist RAF. This was the highlight of a tense situation in which the RAF held the employer president Hanns Martin Schleyer as hostage for over a month.

The kidnapping caused international sensation and led to a large -scale liberation campaign by the special unit GSG9 in Mogadishu on October 18, 1977. 86 was freed, but the flight captain Jürgen Schumann died. These events represent a significant challenge for the German constitutional state and are still viewed as key moments in the history of political extremism.

The wreck of the "Landshut": a controversial conservation plan

Since the return of the wreck to Germany on September 23, 2017, numerous years have passed, in which little progress was made in the design of a memorial for the "Landshut". The Federal Center for Political Education (BPB) has been commissioned to establish a “Landshut learning location” since 2020. However, the concept is unclear: a real museum for the victims of the left -wing extremist terrorism does not seem to be planned.

Michael Berg, a historian from Ulm, expresses his concerns about this approach: "The pseudo interest in the 'Landshut' is degrading". He criticizes the fact that the BPB is looking for an argument to avoid a reconstruction of the aircraft. The planned learning location website explains why the "Landshut" should be left in its current state. The claim that a wreck also serves as a historical source is dismissed by Berg as too banal.

A central argument for a reconstruction in 1977 is the historical importance of the aircraft, which according to Berg is not only in aviation history, but above all in its role during the kidnapping. If the "Landshut" is only presented as a wreck, the exhibit loses historical value and could hardly arouse interest from the visitors.

The BPB shows little willingness to deal with the arguments of historians, and fears that a newly designed place of learning could possibly apply to right -wing extremist circles. However, Berg considers it to be missed to leave the exhibition of this historical episode of fear of misinterpretations.

The uncertainty about the future of the "Landshut"

The lack of a clear plan for the future presentation of the "Landshut" raises questions about dealing with the history of left -wing terrorism in Germany. The contemporary witness perspective is currently on the brink: the contemporary witnesses are becoming less and less; Some of them, like Hannelore Piegler, have already died. There is concern that with the elimination of contemporary witnesses, interest in these important historical events disappears.

In view of these developments, it is unclear when and whether the "Landshut" is exhibited as part of a deeper commemoration to the victims of terrorism. Critics fear that the aircraft will no longer receive the attention that it deserves until the planned opening date of the learning location in 2027. The discussion about the correct use of these historical events remains continuing and is controversial in society.

For further details and a comprehensive overview of the background of the kidnapping and the current discussion about the wreck, interested readers can report the report DetailsOrtMogadischu, Somalia