Ulrike Marie Meinhof, a prominent German left-wing journalist, was a founding member of the Red Army Faction (RAF), often called the “Baader-Meinhof gang” in the press.
Recognized as the author of The Urban Guerilla Concept (1971), she articulated the RAF’s roots in student activism, criticized “reformism” as obstructing the anti-capitalist fight and used Mao Zedong’s ideas to justify “armed struggle” as peak Marxism-Leninism.
Arrested in 1972 after the RAF’s May Offensive, she was sentenced to eight years in prison for attempted murder during a successful RAF jailbreak.
Meinhof, alongside other RAF leaders, later stood trial for numerous murder charges.
Her death in prison under controversial circumstances led to retaliatory assassinations by the RAF.
Below you will find the most famous quotes by Ulrike Meinhof.
Top 5 Ulrike Meinhof Quotes
Objection is when I say: this doesn’t suit me. Resistance is when I make sure that what doesn’t suit me never happens again. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
Protest is when I say…’I don’t agree with something’…. Resistance is when I ensure that things with which I disagree no longer take place. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
I can be a subversive element. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
Anti-Semitism is really a hatred of capitalism. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
Protest is when I say this does not please me. Resistance is when I ensure what does not please me occurs no more. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
Famous Ulrike Meinhof Quotes
If you throw one stone, it’s a punishable offence. If 1,000 stones are thrown, it’s political action. If you set a car on fire, it’s a punishable offence. If hundreds of cars are set on fire, it’s political action. Protest is when I say I don’t agree with something. Resistance is when I ensure that things with which I disagree no longer take place. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
We are acting for those who are trying to free themselves from terror and violence. And if no means other than war remains for them, then we are for their war. And we are against those who escalate their terror up to the use of nuclear weapons, something currently being discussed in regard to Vietnam. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
Dare to struggle; dare to win! Attack and smash the power of imperialism! It is the duty of every revolutionary to make the revolution! We call on all militants in the Federal Republic to make all American establishments targets of their attacks in their struggle against US imperialism! Long live the RAF! ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
The function of leadership in the guerrilla, the function of Andreas Baader in the RAF is orientation: not just to distinguish the main points from the minor ones in each situation but also to remain with the entire political context in all situations; to never lose sight, among technical and logistic details and problems, of the aim, which is the revolution. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
If one sets a car on fire, that is a criminal offence. If one sets hundreds of cars on fire, that is political action. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
In the moment when you become serious about solidarity with the Vietnamese, when you become intent on weakening the American position everywhere in the world, so that the Vietnamese people derive some benefit… then I really don’t see the difference between the terrorism of the police that we have already experienced in Berlin and are threatened with now and the stormtrooper terror of the Thirties. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
Protest is when I say I don’t like this. Resistance is when I put an end to what I don’t like. Protest is when I say I refuse to go along with this anymore. Resistance is when I make sure everybody else stops going along too. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
These are the strategic dialectics of anti-imperialist struggle: through the defensive reactions of the system, the escalation of counterrevolution, the transformation of the political martial law into military martial law, the enemy betrays himself, becomes visible. ~ Ulrike Meinhof.
So these were the 15 top quotes about Ulrike Meinhof.
If you like these quotes and sayings, then you can also read my other posts on Ugo Betti quotes and David Whyte quotes.
