Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

REVOLUTIONARY CELLS • 597to bring down capitalist society by multiplying cells of militants whowould continually engage in small-scale vandalism and harassmentlocally. The reasoning was that a multitude of cells would be harderfor the state to target than one conspicuous armed group, while thecumulative effect of Spaßguerilla (literally, prank-guerrilla actions)or small-scale terrorism, would prove no less deadly to the state. Byadvocating these radical anarchistic ideas in its journal, RevolutionäreZorn (Revolutionary Wrath), the RZ hoped to generate a widergeneralized state of autonomous antiauthorit arian violence amongdisaffected individuals outside the ranks of the RZ. Apart from thisdifferent operational approach, RZ, like RAF, appeared to pursueterrorist violence as an end in itself rather than as a coherent strategyto produce a new social and political system.From 12 June 1974 until 1987 there were at least 50 noteworthyincidents for which the RZ was responsible, including 38 bombings,usually directed at military bases of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) or commercial offices, but usually with minimalinjuries; nine involved hoaxes, threats, or vicious pranks; seven arsonsor firebombings; three kneecappings; and one murder, although it appearedthat the intent had been to kneecap rather than to kill the victim.This last case involved the shooting death of Heinz Karry, economicsminister of Hesse, on 11 May 1981. Other kneecapping incidents tookplace on 28 October 1986 and 6 February 1987, both occurring inBerlin and in government offices. The overall pattern is one of lowintensityand generally nonlethal violence and harassment. RZ membersalso engaged in telephone harassment of victims and have resortedto pranks such as mailing victims packages containing human fecesor a pig’s head. Following 1987 RZ targets shifted to nuclear powerplants involving sabotage of equipment at sites under construction andsevering of power lines at existing plants. The RZ also vandalized theoffices of German immigration authorities for alleged racism againstforeigners and asylum seekers. RZ members have also participated inattacks on offices of firms involved in genetic engineering.These statistics can only give a qualitative sampling of the RZviolence rather than a precise quantitative measure, for the RZ didnot necessarily seek credit for every action its members committed.It is also not possible to distinguish between violence committed bythe RZ itself and similar violence committed by emulators. Since1980 the Federal Republic of Germany has experienced roughly 200