The History of the RAF

In 2014, Germany television network ZDF commissioned a comprehensive TV documentary on the history of the Red Army Faction (RAF). In six 45-minute parts, the series describes the origins, rise, and fall of the terrorist organization "Red Army Faction." Interviewees include Winfried Ridder, former head of department at the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution; Rainer Hofmeyer, former head of department at the Federal Criminal Police Office; and political scientist Dr. Wolfgang Kraushaar.

Directed by Anne Kauth, Bernd Reufels, The History of the RAF leans on a strong ensemble — Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof, Gudrun Ensslin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2015.