Augstein Spiegel Affäre is named after Rudolf Augstein’s police raid of “Der Spiegel,” a news magazine in Hamburg and Bonn on October 26, 1962 under the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Augstein Spiegel was the publisher at Der Spiegel who self-surrendered to the police the next day of the police raid. In the Augstein Spiegel Affäre, Conrad Ahlers, was also arrested in Spain in his vacation spot. Other senior editors were also arrested.
What was the main reason for Augstein Spiegel Affäre?
The main reason for Augstein Spiegel Affäre was that the news magazine Der Spiegel published an article about NATO’s maneuver’s, “Fallex 62.” In the article, they published reports on nuclear plans by Budndeswehr. Consequently, they were all arrested on the suspicion of treason.
The public soon focused on the circumstances surrounding the police action. Public outrage ensued on the encroachment of press freedom. The people, citizens and professionals at large soon saw that free press was in danger. Public rallies began and the public was demanding for the resignation of Strauss with the slogan, “Augstein Out – Strauss In.” Franz-Josef Strauss, the German Defense Minister at the time ended up having to resign after admitting to arranging for Conrad Ahlers arrest, despite declaring he had nothing to do with the matter in the beginning.
In the end, five FDP Ministers in Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer’s cabinet ended up resigning on November 19, 1962.
The Augstein Spiegel Affäre landmarked a vital role in the contribution to the development of freedom of press in the Federal Republic of Germany.
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