Todesspiel and the terrorist docu‐drama in Germany

Abstract

This article argues that newspapers and films act as a forum for debating the difficult issues which political violence raises, and mapping out the process of reconciliation. The reaction to a recent docu‐drama on the recently dissolved Rote Armee Fraktion shows consensus on key issues, aiding the process of reconciliation. This is striking when compared to the reactions to similar films in the past, which were subject to highly ideological interpretations and discursive strategies designed to discredit the production, thus attempting to foreclose debate on difficult political issues.