“A laugh it will be...." An unyielding comrade from the River Spree

“A laugh it will be...." 

An unyielding comrade from the River Spree

On 10th of November 2022 our friend and comrade Ronald “Ronni” Fritzsch passed away.

Ronni was born on 8th of September1951 in Hanover. In 1970 he went to West-Berlin, among others to where he joined the June 2nd Movement in the early 1970s.

In 1975 he was arrested and together with five other members of the Movement of 2nd June indicted for bank robberies and the kidnapping of the CDU-top candidate during the West-Berlin City Parliament election campaign, Peter Lorenz.

The aim of the Lorenz-kidnapping, three days before the Election Day, was the release of several imprisoned comrades. The government was forced to concede – this successful prisoner exchange was unique in German history.

Ronni was sentenced to 13 years and 2 months and spent years in solitary confinement in the maximum security wing of the Berlin-Moabit jail.

After his release he remained politically active in the radical left and never lost hope despite setbacks and disappointments. Ronni always worked hard, in particular for left wing printing firms. 

Not least because of his authenticity, his warm laughter and his cordiality he was able to build solid relationships with all kinds of people.

Ronni leaves a grievous void for those who knew him.

The date for the farewell party will be announced.

Comrades and friends of Ronni.

More about his life and the Movement of 2nd June can be found here:

https://socialhistoryportal.org/sites/default/files/raf/0019951000_02_0.pdf