Original subtitles

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY GLADBECK - AUGUST 16, 1988

In Gladbeck-Rentfort,

two masked gunmen have robbed a bank.

They have taken a woman and the bank manager hostage.

The hostage drama began this morning at around 7:40 a.m.

02H 19M 25S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

POLICE RADIO

51-01 to 40.

Come in.

Another shot's just been fired.

Copy that.

POLICE CALL

- You hear me? - Yes.

Listen, let's talk reasonably. What are you planning to do?

Listen, 300,000 marks, the key to the safe, and a getaway car.

All right. What kind of vehicle do you want?

We want a 735 BMW.

A BMW 735. All right.

- But a 735i. - A 735i.

- Yes. - I'll call back.

- Hold on a sec. - Yes, go on.

I'm telling you, don't do anything stupid.

I'll shoot the two employees, then I'll put the gun in my mouth.

Listen, we'll sort it out.

I'll call you back shortly.

- All right. - All right. Let's do that.

09H 49M 08S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

POLICE RADIO

The money can be handed over.

Attention, everyone on high alert!

I'm watching the entrance, the door.

There's nothing to see. Absolutely nothing to see.

Move the packages closer to the door right now, if you can.

Richie, clothes off!

Just push it closer to the door. Then get out immediately.

- Go ahead. - Okay.

One person is at the door now.

It's the male hostage.

He's lying on the floor. He's tied up.

He's opening the door now.

He grabs the first bag.

Now the second bag.

Now the third bag.

He's closing the door.

For nearly 12 hours,

two people in a Gladbeck bank have been fearing for their lives.

Two heavily armed men took 34-year-old bank teller Reinhold Alles

and his 23-year-old account manager hostage.

The police have met one of the criminals' demands.

A police officer in his underwear brought 300,000 marks

and handcuffs to the entrance.

This afternoon, just before 5 p.m.,

I spoke on the phone to one of the criminals in the bank.

TV news anchor Hans Meiser here, hello. Who are you?

- The bank robber. Who else? - Pardon?

The bank robber!

You don't want to release the hostages once your demands have been met?

Not initially. We want to take them with us.

- Where are you headed? - As if I'd tell you.

- They can follow you with helicopters. - The conversation's over.

A NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

West Germany's most dramatic hostage drama to date

lasted for about 54 hours.

The media in Germany has never reported

so extensively on a hostage crisis.

For the first time, millions of people witnessed

a capital offense day by day, minute by minute.

Throughout the hostage crisis, the police didn't always seem in control.

A dark chapter for politicians and the mass media too.

POLICE RADIO

If the perpetrators leave the bank,

don't seize them!

13H 59M 17S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

Did you see? A car is approaching.

That's an Audi.

That's them.

This very moment in Gladbeck-Rentfort in the Ruhr region.

The hostage crisis at Deutsche Bank still isn't over.

For nearly 14 hours now,

two criminals have been holding two employees hostage.

This is Heute Journal.

We have just heard

that the getaway vehicle has possibly or reportedly been delivered.

In Gladbeck, I hope... My screen's black right now.

...that Mario Krisolli is ready for us.

Can you hear me? Hello?

Mario, can you tell us what is happening right now?

You may be able to see the headlights.

Everyone has taken cover here behind me.

The vehicle's moving very slowly, at a crawl, toward our camera.

One of the perpetrators has a gun, which is pointed at the windshield.

How are the police reacting, as far as you can tell?

They are very calm.

There's movement now,

but it's mainly journalists, not police.

Someone give me the mic.

We have to assume there are four.

Have the offenders been identified?

No, not yet.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

No leads?

None. Investigations are underway

on all sides.

Aren't you surprised they're not hiding?

The one who showed himself was negotiating with us.

- He said he had nothing to lose. - Yes.

You know we're gonna be live in a second?

Yes?

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The hostage crisis is still ongoing.

Mr. Pütz, you are at the scene. What is the situation currently?

Good evening, Ms. Christiansen. I have DA Gutjahr with me.

Can you tell me, how will the police proceed now?

The pursuit has begun, and a manhunt is underway.

Thank you so much, Mr. Gutjahr.

For 67 minutes now,

the two Gladbeck bank robbers have been on the run with their hostages.

The hostages' families are fearing the worst.

Police could not confirm reports that they are still in the Ruhr region.

For two hours now, the bank robbers have been on the run in an Audi 100.

They are still holding the two bank employees.

12:40 a.m.

The police note that the hostages have not yet been released.

It is likely that the gunmen have a new car, supposedly a BMW.

They forced a passerby to hand over the key.

By now, the hostage drama has been going on for over 20 hours.

We still know nothing about the fate of the two Gladbeck hostages.

Almost 24 hours after having been captured by two armed and masked bank robbers

at a branch of Deutsche Bank in Gladbeck,

they are still being held by the perpetrators.

DEUTSCHE BANK - BUSINESS CENTER

The scene of the crime, the Deutsche Bank in Gladbeck.

Since this morning, the police have been searching for clues.

CLOSED TODAY

Every clue is being meticulously examined.

According to rumors, the hostage-takers are two men, 30 and 31 years old,

who are well-known to law enforcement.

POLICE STATION

We've had to ask you here

because various media outlets have reported a new development

in connection with the hostage crisis in northern Germany.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

We know who we are dealing with.

I implore you not to report on these events

until the hostages are released or the hostage-takers are arrested.

It is now up to you

to not endanger the hostages by going public.

Once again,

and I implore you, we believe that the hostages are in grave danger.

Nothing is known yet

about the two hostage-takers and their getaway route.

To avoid endangering the hostages, the police have ceased pursuit.

The manhunt was stopped.

The manhunt has been abandoned to achieve the release of the hostages.

There has been no further contact with the perpetrators or their victims.

The survival of the hostages takes absolute priority.

35H 09M 43S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

The one in the leather jacket is walking with the male hostage,

and the second person, with the one in the red skirt,

is walking toward the downtown area.

The sensational Gladbeck hostage crisis is not over, especially not for us.

On the contrary. Today, the criminals came to Bremen.

We sent Christian Berg to track the hostage-takers.

They got gas, candy

and then vanished.

I just noticed he had a gun at his side.

- Have the police come to see you? - No.

What is the latest? This whole thing's taken some wild turns.

We have just learned

that they've made things worse in Bremen, so to speak.

They've apparently hijacked, or seized, a bus in Bremen with several hostages.

The two hostage-takers, armed with submachine guns,

have seized a bus with 20 passengers in Bremen.

This report came in moments ago.

That's all we have for now.

As soon as further reports come in, we will let you know.

Hello 33-08, are you needed at the scene?

- Yes, we're keeping the press back. - I didn't catch that. Come again.

Keeping the press back.

Is it really necessary for you to stay in contact with those people?

At around 7 p.m., the gunmen went into a produce market in Bremen.

Along with another unidentified woman,

they walked to a bus stop and got on.

The unidentified woman is also believed to be armed.

We have new information.

We have footage of the scene when the bus was hijacked.

If you could play it now.

It started during the evening rush hour at roughly 7:20 p.m.

We see them negotiating back there, by the open door of the bus.

The man in the T-shirt by the door on the left is a hostage-taker.

On the right we see a photographer.

The photographer, Peter Meyer,

was the messenger delivering the hostage-takers' new demands.

- What do they want? - A vehicle. One that isn't bugged.

PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER

A vehicle that can just be parked here by someone from the press.

- And then they would release the bus... - Yes. Then it'll calm down.

Now I have to find the police. Not easy here.

- I'm here. - Good.

- They're demanding a new getaway vehicle. - Okay.

One that isn't bugged. Preferably one from the media parked here.

- They'll stay put until then? - Yes, and they won't do anything.

They also demand that a police officer,

lightly clothed, if possible, with hands cuffed behind the back,

gets into the getaway vehicle.

They need another set of handcuffs for a new hostage from the bus.

- Those are their demands. - Okay. I'll see that it's done.

The hostage-takers appear to have planned this robbery very carefully.

The police do not believe that they are particularly smart

but that they got their ideas from crime movies.

Right now, the hijacked bus with the 30 hostages is still parked.

It is unclear if the hostage-takers' demands will be met.

Look.

Hey, he's got a screw loose.

He's a colleague.

He's taking pictures of him. Headshots.

Come a bit closer, you two, so we get a piece as well.

Listen, can we do an interview now?

Peter!

Ask him if we can do an interview.

Come on, Hans, go.

Do you have a mic?

- Hello. - Olli.

- So... - Yeah.

How long do you plan on keeping this going?

We'll make several demands, and if they're not met, it's bang-bang.

- You want that on your conscience? - Yep, we're done with life.

And,

we've been on the run for over 30 hours, and the cops are still after us.

The two bank employees are at the end of their rope.

Especially the woman. She wants to go home and all.

We were prepared to do that today.

Then they got in our way.

We were pretty sure that no one was following us.

- Then we saw them. - Yes.

You don't think it'd be better to give up?

Give up? No way.

I can tell you straight-out how it will go down.

Shots will be fired in there. My buddy is especially dangerous.

And the last thing will be...

This one right here.

I was in jail for 11 years. I was sentenced to 13.

Right from the start, I was in state care and all that shit.

And I don't give a shit about my life.

- And I'm serious about that. - Yes?

And the others? The innocent people?

I can't help that.

And you'd trade? That is, a hostage for someone else?

Yes.

But I want a police officer.

And he has to come in with photo ID.

- And his hands cuffed behind his back. - Yes.

How likely are you to get away with this?

I feel absolutely certain I'll get away with it.

Either here

or I'm gone.

As simple as that.

And if they think they can come in with their fucking SWAT teams,

I'm not scared of that.

We have however many hostages in there. We're heavily armed.

I have some things in my bag there too.

One bang, and the bus is gone.

Like hand grenades or what?

I don't want to talk in detail about what I have in there.

- There are three of you now, right? - Yep.

Are you worried about the woman?

No, she wants this.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

And...

I advised her against it, but she wanted to.

- Is she your girlfriend? - Yes.

She sees things the same way as me. About life and all.

Yes.

And that's why she's here.

So did you just suddenly want to have lots of money?

- Or was it... - No.

I'm a criminal by nature. It's part of me.

Things like work, morals, and stuff like that mean nothing to me.

I want to get ahead. I want to live.

And this has nothing to do with politics and all that shit.

Shield it with your hand.

And a few times, I've thought about whether

to join a terrorist group or something.

But I thought it over and figured

getting rich was better and then see how I can manage.

Did you just want to rob a bank? Or did you plan to take hostages?

We had everything we needed to take hostages.

That was factored in from the start, just in case, you know?

Yes.

We're all standing around and you, like that, with the pistol at full cock.

That's why my finger is to the side.

That's actually good because...

We all have this uneasy feeling.

The two hostages from the bank are still with you?

- They're in the bus. - They're in the bus.

How are they feeling? I mean, from their point of view.

Walk over and take a look.

Walk over? Yeah? Okay.

- But only... - Yes, okay.

I'm having the cashier check the bills.

Because they could have mini bugs in them.

So we're sure they're clean.

So we won't be followed.

Any special dreams?

- You shouldn't talk about dreams. - True.

- A car. - A shower. A bathtub.

I don't really have special dreams.

The Gladbeck hostage situation continues to evolve.

From the bus, the hostage-takers repeatedly spoke to journalists.

The two gunmen were joined by an armed woman,

supposedly the girlfriend of one of the criminals.

- Am I allowed out, or can I go now? - Yes, you can go.

Now for the latest on the situation in Bremen.

We have heard that the hostage-takers have just now released five hostages.

- I was in there, yes. - What happened then?

They came over here from the post office.

With a lady and a gentleman.

And what happened then?

They got on the bus. And now they're counting money.

Lots of thousand-mark bills.

- A sack full of money. - You were in the back, right?

- Yes, I saw it. You didn't. - And they let you leave the bus?

I told them I have a heart condition.

The Essen DA's office has named the two criminals.

One is 31-year-old Hans-Jürgen Rösner from Gladbeck.

He fled two years ago while on furlough.

His accomplice is believed to be 32-year-old Dieter Degowski,

also from Gladbeck.

The hostage-takers let you on to the bus first.

What happened there?

They waved me over. I was in my car taking pictures.

They waved me over. Very friendly. I was very careful at first.

My arms spread out wide. He said I didn't need to.

I went over.

He said, "This is a shitty situation."

"The cops said the manhunt was over, and they weren't following us."

"It's all off."

"Now we're here, and there are cops everywhere."

And then they told me they had a new demand.

They want a new getaway car,

and they want a new hostage, a police officer.

That's their demand, and that's it for now.

He just told me that if it isn't met soon,

they'd just take a car.

I said, "No need to take one. You can have mine."

Slowly.

Hans-Henning Schmidt, from BUNTE. Would you talk to him? Yeah?

Henning? I'll pass him the phone, okay?

Yes, on it!

Hello?

Hello, this is Rösner.

Yeah.

- Who's he talking to now? - BUNTE.

No, that's our guarantee.

That's our guarantee. That's why we can't let them go.

No. Maybe we'll end up six feet under

but not in prison.

I'm from Gladbeck-Rentfort.

I was.

No.

Yes, I was in prison for 11 years.

I didn't learn much there. I didn't want to, either.

For various things.

It started with shoplifting, break-ins and assault

and aggravated assault, and then once, I...

In jail, I stabbed an officer in the neck.

They added on two and a half years for that.

Let me ask another question.

I don't know what you...

I've known him for 23 years now.

Yes.

I don't need to answer that, do I?

- The car is here. - What car?

For you. The car.

Hold on a sec.

- Which car? - Yes, your car is here.

From the police? Take it away. I don't want it.

- So you don't want a police car? - No, nothing from the cops.

I don't wanna talk about this anymore.

I said, I don't give a shit about what anyone thinks. That's it. Bye.

Over there.

I'll drive you, okay?

I have Christian Berg on the phone from Bremen

to ask him for the latest news.

Hello, Christian Berg. What's the latest?

The police are currently still negotiating.

There's a task force and so on.

The first decision is that the police are not willing

to hand over a lightly clothed police officer as a hostage.

The Bremen Police won't allow that.

The atmosphere at this hostage crisis is unique in the history of Germany.

It has the feel of a work outing. The police barely closed off any roads.

It is a very relaxed yet brutally cynical atmosphere.

The hostage-taker gave an interview.

It's bizarre to have a guy stand around, waving a gun,

while some 30 people, including children, are being held captive.

We'll have to reflect deeply on what actually happened here.

There's a guy with a black mask back there. I know these games.

What is left for the police to do now?

Any indication from the leaders of the task force

that they have no choice but to give in?

The situation in Bremen is still tense.

The hostage-takers, in particular, are exhausted and on edge.

The police are also on edge.

I'm not waiting much longer. I'm getting back on the bus.

I'll talk it over with my buddy and my girlfriend.

And then I'll shoot the first one.

I'm sick of being screwed over.

You old bastard! Get away from up there, or I'll put a bullet in you, you jerk!

This is your last warning!

The next one will be for someone in the bus!

Oh, shit! He has Karina.

- Who's Karina? - My coworker.

What? What is it?

All right. She looks all right. She looks okay.

- I have a new friend for you. - What?

Oh my God, what's wrong with that guy?

Why's Peter Meyer involved? There's no need for that.

Why's he getting involved? I would be too. There are 30 people in there.

I'd run over there butt naked.

They're losing it.

They're completely plastered.

If no one comes now, I'll blow her away!

Dead!

So, what now?

You filthy coward cops, you!

You coward pigs!

Meyer is walking toward us.

They want to go for a tour in the bus. I tried to talk them out of it.

I said, "Let them go. Get in my car."

"One isn't enough. They'll shoot," they said.

Roland for 33-08.

I'll just note down the number.

I'll get the car close and give him the phone.

3-3-0-8, did you copy?

Yes. Your number, 3-6-2...

3-6-2-5-0-8.

We're giving Meyer the number. He should call, please.

Meyer is walking over.

POLICE RADIO

Meyer drove his car up to the bus.

He's holding the phone.

The bus is starting.

Why isn't anyone picking up?

Meyer's yelling, asking why no one is picking up.

Tell him 81, not 80.

Dial 81, not 80!

No one is picking up at 6-3-2-8-0!

The bus is driving off. Through a red light, straight ahead.

This can't be! Really!

The bus is turning right.

Hans! Come here!

Police chase, live.

The Gladbeck hostage drama has escalated dramatically.

It has now become the Bremen hostage drama.

The latest report is that the hostage-takers

are heading toward the airport.

We've just received a report

that the bus passed the Oyten rest area on the autobahn heading toward Hamburg.

No one knows how this hostage drama will unfold.

Just how cold-blooded the hostage-takers are

became clear about three hours ago.

One of the two hostage-takers got off the bus,

walked up to my colleague Günter Ollendorf,

and spoke to reporters in an incredibly cynical manner.

This is a very grim recording.

The decision to air this interview was not made lightly.

However, we feel it documents the situation.

We'll make several demands, and if they're not met, it's bang-bang.

We would like to show you this grim recording.

We're done with life. I don't give a shit about my life.

I'm a criminal by nature.

Things like work, morals, and stuff like that mean nothing to me.

We asked a fellow journalist what he had witnessed.

I did an interview for my station and asked him if he was going to give up.

And he said, "No," and that he was...

He was sick of the police and was going to shoot someone.

- Were you scared? - I was scared, yes.

He was holding his gun to my gut the whole time.

It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

Why did you ask him to get in your car?

He was standing in front of it, and I'm a journalist.

You just try. And the fact that it worked...

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

GRUNDBERGSEE REST AREA

38H 34M 38S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

The bus arrived just now. With the hostages.

I don't know if they'll come here.

They're coming, really?

- Is that really the bus? - Yes. There's a guy with a gun.

Why did you go in the bus instead of a journalist's car?

Because they're scheming, hatching a plan.

So you think the police will act soon.

Definitely.

But we are too. That's why we took off.

- Are you really prepared to kill people? - Yes.

How do you feel with a gun to your throat?

Actually pretty good, considering... Somehow, it all seems kind of surreal.

Too young.

- Can you imagine him actually shooting? - No.

No.

The younger hostage-taker is in front of the bus,

holding a loaded gun to the chin of a young, blond woman.

He's threatening to shoot her if no one negotiates with them

and if their demands are not met.

That's it for now from the scene. Peter Wüst from RSH radio.

It started with the hostage-takers demanding to speak to an officer,

to start a dialogue, if you will.

The police said no one was coming out.

Next, they demanded a walkie-talkie so they could be in touch that way.

It didn't work. There was no contact.

The third option was my car phone.

They gave me a number, but no one picked up.

I don't get what the police are doing, what they're thinking.

If they fail to meet any of the demands, even the smallest ones,

I get the feeling

something will happen.

I'm being...

I've just been handed a piece of paper.

Right now, the bus has stopped at Grundbergsee.

That's a rest area near Bremen.

One of the hostages from Gladbeck has been released.

However, the hostage-takers are demanding a police officer as a hostage,

as they had indicated this afternoon,

and a new getaway car.

There are surely only two options.

Either their demands are met

or something terrible will happen, probably tonight.

POLICE RADIO

It's Aller here.

The female perpetrator is in the restroom with a gun.

In the restroom with a gun?

Whose decision is it?

Shall I grab her?

Get her if you can.

What?

Yes!

RESTROOMS

72-28 for Roland.

Yes, I copy you now.

Any updates?

Okay, listen.

Both hostages from Gladbeck are free.

They're by our vehicles.

Furthermore,

we overpowered the female offender.

No.

According to the released hostages

the two perpetrators could lose it

if the woman doesn't come back.

We can't keep the woman detained if we can't take down the others.

- Only all three at once. - Should've thought of that before!

When is she coming out?

Come out, damn it.

I'm going nuts! When's she coming out?

If they lay a finger on her and she's not back in a few seconds,

I'll pull the trigger.

Then we'll...

But first we'll have a bit of a shoot-up.

Shouldn't have done that, those pigs.

- I'll go ask about that. - Those damn, filthy pigs!

GETTING THE PEOPLE OF BREMEN THERE SAFELY

The perpetrators are threatening to shoot a young girl.

Should we release the woman?

Yes, can you tell me about the perpetrators now?

Are they under the influence of alcohol?

Alcohol and drugs.

They loaded up on pills to stay awake and drank lots of beer.

The woman is coming back. She's kind of far away.

Okay. I'll let them know. You're bringing her back, right?

- She's coming here. - Okay.

Yes?

Man!

You better not!

Where is the special task force vehicle with the female perpetrator?

She's walking over.

Scumbags!

Open!

Open! Open it up!

Get him out! Now!

Ambulance!

Ambulance!

Someone's being pulled out.

Go on, closer!

Get lost, you idiots!

- Come with me. - Ambulance!

We need an ambulance.

Go, get an ambulance!

Those bastards.

In here. Come on, inside!

Bring him in. Come on, get him in.

The press stays out!

Call an ambulance. Quick!

An ambulance. What was that number again?

1-1-2. Damn it.

Sorry?

Just a moment...

The bus has started moving again.

- The vehicle, right? - Right.

You know what happened with the one they shot?

Who knows?

- The police! - Yes.

Halbermann.

Yes. Here's the situation. We need an ambulance, urgently.

The hijacking.

That's 3,50.

Yes, probably.

Yes.

Stop asking questions.

Send an ambulance. And come and see for yourself.

That's irrelevant.

I'm telling you, that's irrelevant. Is the ambulance on its way?

Are they that stupid?

There are hostages here! They shot someone.

Marius, I have to tell you that you're on air now.

Where are you at the moment?

We're on the autobahn exit ramp,

about 100 meters past the Grundbergsee rest area.

HOSTAGE DRAMA

The city bus from Bremen just drove off.

It appears that a shot was fired in the vehicle.

A wounded person was pushed out of the vehicle.

The perpetrators are very nervous and seem a bit drunk.

I see they are turning off and heading back toward Bremen.

And you're in the convoy following the bus?

Yes, the bus is about 200 meters ahead of me.

The most dangerous thing would be

if the perpetrators lost control due to alcohol.

I'm on the A1 autobahn heading toward Osnabrück.

I'm in a convoy of roughly 80 civilian and police vehicles.

There is chaos here on the autobahn.

I can't say how things are in the bus from here.

70-21 to Aller again.

70-21, I copy.

- You're at Grundbergsee? - Correct.

How many injured? How many dead?

Yes, one person is seriously injured.

Okay. No fatalities, right?

As of now, no.

The cops are forcing us back. Unbelievable!

Aller, come in. This is 70-11.

Do you have the latest news?

- Is there a traffic jam on the autobahn? - Yes, because of the reporters.

They're trying to follow us.

Media scum.

Let's not give in. No one gets out of the way.

Get out of here.

I'll get revenge, my friends. Believe me.

Axel, hello!

Hey, dude!

The events at the hostage situation are coming to a head.

One hour ago, the gunmen shot one of their hostages

at an autobahn rest area between Bremen and Hamburg.

When the kidnappers realized the police had their accomplice,

they lost it.

They grabbed Emanuele De Giorgi, a 15-year-old Italian boy,

and brutally executed him with a shot to the head.

Doctors in Bremen's Central Hospital were unable to save him.

The gunmen are still holding 20 people hostage in a hijacked city bus.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

DUTCH BORDER

It's 2:40 a.m.

here at the Dutch border crossing Bad Bentheim.

German and Dutch border police have closed the border.

It is difficult to say how far the bus has already traveled from here.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

DUTCH BORDER - OLDENZAAL

45H 53M 31S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

We're on the phone with Burkhard Holland.

Good morning, Mr. Holland. Where exactly is the bus?

The bus is just outside of Oldenzaal,

a town near the Bad Bentheim border crossing.

Dutch authorities have reacted very professionally.

It took us one and a half hours to traverse the forest to get here.

Everything here's been locked down for several hours now.

Perhaps you can tell us what their most recent demands were.

There's a new one, the getaway car, a BMW 735i.

This has now been provided to them.

I'm hearing from an informant that the hostages have exited the bus.

But I can't tell you where the hostage-takers are.

We are 500 to 600 meters from the action.

Something's about to happen here.

The getaway car is ready,

and we expect it to start up any moment now.

I'm staying.

Negotiations with the hostage-takers took hours.

Shots were fired into the bus.

The bus driver and the female hostage-taker were injured.

A few hours later, the hostage-takers drove off

in a new getaway car that they had demanded.

Two female hostages are with them.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Their identities are known to us.

After that, the German police took over again.

Back to the hostage crisis in the Netherlands.

All but two of the hostages have been released.

The gunmen are on the move again.

MADNESS!

TV INTERVIEW WITH HOSTAGE-TAKER I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT MY LIFE

RÖSNER - "UTTERLY RUTHLESS" NEVER RETURNED FROM FURLOUGH

TATTOO ON CHEST: "I HATE YOU ALL"

HOSTAGE SHOT IN HEAD IN FRONT OF BUS

POLICE OFFICER DIES IN CAR CHASE

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

The head of the special investigation task force

of the Gladbeck police, Manfred Becker.

The perpetrators are behaving so erratically

that I can't currently predict how things will progress.

It's astounding

that they're still on their feet after 48 hours.

Yes, we're amazed that the perpetrators are showing no signs of fatigue.

In our view, the way they are behaving,

even though 48 hours have passed

and they have been under extreme mental strain,

their actions still show clear purpose.

We must, therefore, continue to assume

that they will act just as violently as they have up to now.

A German police helicopter landed in Enschede at 9 a.m.

On board, North Rhine-Westphalia's interior minister.

Minister Schnoor visited and consoled the victims.

Television is here.

- I survived just fine. - What'll you do this evening?

I don't know yet.

- Have you contacted anyone? - Yes, this morning.

- Husband or kids? - Yes. My husband.

- How did you hold up through the night? - Just look at me.

- How are you? - Good.

Yeah?

Have a nice trip.

How do we get out of here? I'm not staying.

What is your impression?

INTERIOR MINISTER

Well, my impression. Devastating, let's just say.

Minister Schnoor, are you happy with police tactics

during this hostage crisis so far?

It's awful to have to watch it on TV, and I saw it too,

how the ringleader is giving an interview

while holding innocent people captive.

It is terrible to have to watch that.

But we should only pass judgment

when we know all the facts.

On the third day of the hostage crisis, the hostage-takers' odyssey continues.

They were spotted in Wuppertal, Hagen, Dortmund and Hamm.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

WUPPERTAL COLOGNE

PRESS OFFICE

52H 27M 19S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTAGE CRISIS

Hans-Joachim Wies in Cologne, where are the hostage-takers now?

They're in the middle of the pedestrian area in Cologne now,

in Breite Straße, since precisely 11 a.m.

They are basically trapped there,

in their 7 Series BMW with a Dutch license plate.

They're chain-smoking in the car. They're having coffee brought in.

There are no police in sight.

Why are you photographing all this?

He'll have to answer for this, but he's not a monkey.

No one said that.

Do you think it's bad that we're basically protecting you?

If the press wasn't hanging around...

I didn't come here because I thought the press was here. I didn't know.

I wonder where they all came from.

You're right in the middle of it. This is the press quarter.

It's my first time in Cologne.

- You're in the right spot. - What is your name?

Hans-Jürgen.

Do you think your two hostages are nervous wrecks,

or are they calm?

No, she's very tired, but she appears to be in good shape.

- Yes? - They're fine.

We won't do anything to them. We don't want to anymore.

The mishap from yesterday wouldn't have happened

if the police hadn't, once again...

- You're not mad at your boyfriend? - It wasn't him.

- It wasn't him. - The other one.

But you're not mad about it?

- You think that in the heat of the moment... - Can't be changed now, can it?

- You got everything? - Yes.

Okey-dokey. Other side. We need one of the hostages.

Move over.

Which doors are locked?

Put the gun to her head. The fuzz could be around.

Why did you lock it? Are the police here?

We don't know.

You never know.

Jan, it's okay.

I... Well, all three of us.

We're done with life.

Whether I'm finished or not,

it doesn't matter.

But I'd say it's about these two girls.

I'd suggest they don't try anything.

Otherwise, they're dead. Like the boy.

What are the police doing?

There's no police here.

If you look around, you won't see a single police officer.

The police are staying out of it entirely.

You have to walk about 200 meters away from the spectacle here.

Then you'll see a few big sedans

with license plates that look like the Federal Border Force.

And cars, armored cars.

A few snipers are setting up there too.

Where are the police?

Somewhere back there, I think.

As far as I know.

- Nothing but spectators here. - Right, like everyone else.

- Isn't that a bit strange? - It sure is.

- How do you feel? - People are curious about it.

That's why.

- Like the movies, right? - Yes, more or less.

Well, this is a big deal, right?

And I consider that a bad thing.

That so many people can be around here. I'd say it's pretty sad.

Sure, I'm here too, but I really shouldn't be here.

Where are the police?

They'll be around here undercover.

There are none here in uniform. They basically don't allow it.

Is it okay that so many people are here?

No, it isn't. But the press drives it.

There are tons of reporters running around with cameras.

How can you blame people?

Do you think it's exciting?

Not really.

But you have to take a look if you're here.

- We saw the same crowd in Bremen. - Bremen had the same circus too.

Such a disgrace. I'd be ashamed to film this kind of thing.

People running around here, laughing and...

It's our job, but there are a lot of bystanders...

Okay, I believe you. It's your job, okay. It's news.

But these newspaper people who get 20 or 30 marks a line,

they have to go.

I'm appalled.

- I can... - They show up here with coffee.

Yes, all right. That's...

I think that's okay. But I think it's terrible.

I think it's ghastly. I'm lost for words.

- Make way now. - If the cops don't leave, I'll shoot!

That's my last word.

- Get out of the way. - He has no influence on me.

- You discussed that? - Yes.

Those two...

Hello. We're from RTL Plus. We spoke on the phone.

How are you?

What are you going to do now?

Well, we...

We'll make sure we lose the police.

And we have a plan for that.

Cologne plays a role in that too. That's why we're here.

I mean, why we're here in Cologne. We're just here to drink coffee.

How was the coffee?

Not bad.

Do you perhaps want to trade the hostages for new ones?

No, not really.

- Not for me either? - No.

Why not?

- Just because. I don't know. - The woman isn't doing so well.

- Yeah. - You were saying...

- It's the heat. - May I ask her how she's doing?

- May I? - Yeah.

Okay. How are you?

Not good right now because I'm scared.

Yes, of course. A cocked gun pointed at your neck is...

- They're a bit on edge. - Get out of the way up front.

Come on, clear out!

Okay. What's your name?

Silke Bischoff.

- How old are you? - Eighteen.

Move aside!

Hey, come on. Don't be nervous.

They should back off. He's gonna do something stupid.

Everyone, clear out! In front too. Clear out.

- Keep calm, Dieter. - Keep calm.

- Clear out in front! - Do you want my telephone number?

Do you want my telephone number so you can call if need be?

- Write it down. - Look at her face.

You're making her nervous. Stop it.

- Okay. - What is it?

Don't cause panic. Dieter, get that off.

Dieter, no way. No, it stays there.

Yes, but don't press it up against her.

Stay calm.

I'll give you my business card.

Get away back there, man. Beat it!

So you can call if anything comes up.

If you reconsider trading hostages, call me.

No, there's no need for that.

Clear out in the back and front! But for good this time!

Okay, got it.

I was saying...

They shouldn't pull a stunt like that.

He's on edge. He might pull the trigger.

Get out of the way.

He says he's driving right through, at full speed.

Step back!

Everyone move!

Stop, he's coming back.

Stop. Get away!

Clear the back!

Out of the way!

Out of the way.

I'm telling you, move to the side.

Everyone to the side!

Get away there in the back too.

Move to the side, man!

This is my last warning. Out of the way! And fast!

Move over there.

No one behind us either now!

- Get a move on! - Move away!

The other side.

Hans-Jürgen!

Hans-Jürgen!

Hans-Jürgen!

We were in Gladbeck together. You made some demands.

We're from the police. Do you want to talk to us?

I'm just saying because we had a pretty good conversation.

Shall we...

Because you made concrete demands there. Shall we meet those?

Hans-Jürgen, think it over again.

What's his name?

Udo Röbel.

And the journalists are following the car. The vehicle just passed our car.

You could almost call it a pack of cars.

Twenty, thirty cars are starting to follow the hostage-takers' car.

That's it for now from Breite Straße in Cologne.

Roger Horné for RPR.

I don't have time. Ciao!

Catch up!

Get out!

Out of here!

Go!

Where's the car?

Up ahead! Three cars ahead.

There are new developments in the hostage crisis.

Uli Leithold, the hostage-takers' car is apparently on the move.

Exactly two minutes ago, Mr. Breuckmann, the silver BMW drove off from here.

In the last 30 minutes, the perpetrators had become increasingly nervous.

It is worth mentioning

that there are now six people in the getaway car.

The editor in chief of a Cologne tabloid

got into the car with them voluntarily.

If I had submachine gun, I would've riddled the car with bullets.

Shame I don't have a submachine gun.

And 100 police officers!

Just imagine! They can't get him with just one pistol.

We need the SWAT team! This is terrible.

SWAT team. They have submachine guns!

I would've unloaded it on them!

The woman may or may not get hit, but he would've been gone.

We have laws here. We have to follow them.

- That's embarrassing. - There are innocent people here.

- There are innocent people standing here. - Yes.

Make sure you shoot him dead!

He belongs in a cemetery, not jail.

He belongs in a cemetery!

It's the cops. Ahead of us.

There are quite a lot of cops.

- Police, left. - Yes, police to the left.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

COLOGNE SIEGBURG

Hold on.

Get out.

Thank you. They are hindering the police...

Here. Push the cars to the side.

SIEGBURG REST AREA 1000 METERS

Mr. Röbel...

Yes, I know.

Mr. Röbel, just quickly. You went with them. Why?

The hostage-takers wanted someone, whom they'd been in touch with,

to accompany them so they could leave Cologne safely.

That's why they asked me to come.

What happened during the short drive?

There was silence during the drive.

I can only repeat what we already saw in Cologne.

The hostage-taker in the back is on the verge of total exhaustion.

Completely unpredictable. Capable of anything.

He told me to get out

and tell the press and the police he had nothing left to lose.

He'd shot a 15-year-old boy. He won't go into the slammer for life.

And if the police don't stay out of it completely,

there will be a bloodbath that will end with everyone dead.

1:42 P.M. AUGUST 18, 1988

The crime scene in the Siebengebirge has been cordoned off

because of the dramatic events that just transpired.

There must have been a scuffle and an exchange of gunshots.

...end of the hostage crisis.

We spoke to Hermann W. of the Recklinghausen police.

Based on our information,

the operation took place at about 1:45 p.m.

During the operation, five people are presumed to have been injured.

The three perpetrators and the hostages, presumably seriously.

The rescue operation is underway. We have to wait for further developments.

Back! No photos!

Can we make the circle a bit bigger?

From the point of view of law enforcement, we have concerns about close-ups.

For the simple reason that this is a police situation

that should not be accessible to the public.

What does that mean?

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

This was a SWAT team operation.

From the scene there, people could draw conclusions about police procedures.

- Who is under the tarp? - Pardon?

- Who is under the tarp? - A hostage.

- Who is it? The 18-year-old girl? - I'd rather not say.

- Was she sitting on the right or left? - I can't say that either.

- Well, which one? - I want to be very clear.

We're still investigating. We're not that far along yet.

You just have to give a reason...

You know that!

- What information do you want? - Is her hair long or short?

I can't say. I didn't see her.

Yes, one second.

One more question, sir! Is there any point in us staying?

- Not really. - Pardon?

Not really.

He's not saying anything! He won't even say who's dead.

One of the worst hostage crises in the history of Germany has ended.

After 54 hours, the police stopped the gunmen's getaway car

in a wild shoot-out on Autobahn A3 near Bad Honnef.

Both female hostages suffered life-threatening injuries.

One of the two women later succumbed to the injuries.

The two criminals were also seriously wounded.

Their female accomplice sustained minor injuries in the shoot-out.

The crime scene is still being secured.

The dead hostage is on the ground covered with a blanket.

The 18-year-old hostage, Silke Bischoff, was killed with Rösner's gun

in the final minutes of this crisis.

Emanuele De Giorgi was 15 years old.

He died while trying to protect his little sister.

His family left Germany after the death of their son.

Silke Bischoff was 18 years old.

Her mother still lives in Bremen. Silke was her only child.

Police sergeant Ingo Hagen died in a traffic accident while on duty

between Bremen and Grundbergsee. He was 31 years old.

Hans-Jürgen Rösner and Dieter Degowski were both sentenced to life imprisonment.

Dieter Degowski was released from prison after serving 30 years.

He now lives under a new identity in an unknown location.

Hans-Jürgen Rösner is in preventative detention

and is still in prison.

Marion Löblich was sentenced to nine years in prison.

She was released on good behavior after six years.

Bremen's senator of the interior resigned after the events of 1988.

The interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia

remained in office.

Since the Gladbeck hostage crisis,

journalists are no longer allowed to interview perpetrators

while they are committing a crime.

Independent attempts to mediate are also no longer permitted.

Subtitle translation by: Kristopher Brame