1975 February 27, 1975 West Berlin

At about 9:00 AM, Peter Lorenz leaves his home in the Zehlendorf district. Lorenz is the CDU (Christian Democrat Union) candidate for mayor in the West Berlin city elections to be held in three days. Less than half a mile from his house, his Mercedes is blocked by a large truck, and a Fiat rams his car. Lorenz’s driver, Werner Sowa, is beaten, and Lorenz is kidnapped into a waiting automobile. The kidnappers are from Movement 2 June. Sowa identifies Angela Luther, who has been underground for three years, as one of the kidnappers.

Authorities put up a $44,000 reward for information. Current Berlin Mayor Klaus Schütz (Lorenz’s SPD opponent and a personal friend of Lorenz’s) announces that the elections will take place as scheduled, but all campaigning will be called off.