The Red Army Faction's declaration of war in 1970 ignited a profound debate that reshaped West German democracy. Karrin Hanshew's analysis, drawing on diverse sources, explores how West Germans grappled with the dual threats of terrorism and state overreaction. The book argues that the decade-long response to the RAF's actions helped forge a new understanding of democracy, moving from postwar solutions of 'militant democracy' and anti-fascist resistance to a more integrated defense of democratic principles within everyday politics. This process allowed Germans to accept the Federal Republic as a stable and reformable polity, learning from their historical experiences to defuse adversarial dynamics.

This book examines the complex relationship between terrorism and democracy in West Germany during the 1970s, focusing on the Red Army Faction's impact. It argues that the ensuing debates helped to solidify the Federal Republic's democratic identity by navigating the challenges of state power and citizen commitment. The work is likely to appeal to scholars and students of modern German history, political science, and the study of terrorism and counter-terrorism.