Klaus Croissant
- March 28, 2002
- 70 years
About Klaus Croissant
Klaus Croissant, 70, East German lawyer of the Red Army Faction and later spy and a political activist.
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Full Biography
|Klaus Croissant (24 May 1931 – 28 March 2002) was a lawyer of the Red Army Faction, later an East German spy and a political activist for Berlin's Alternative Liste für Demokratie und Umweltschutz and, after 1990, the PDS.
Croissant was shown by Kurt Rebmann, then Attorney General of Germany, "to have organized his cabinet the operational reserve of West German terrorism". A campaign against his imprisonment was organized in which, in particular, Jean-Paul Sartre and Michel Foucault took part. He was released on bail and absconded to France on 10 July 1977. He was apprehended in Paris on 30 September. He applied for political asylum but his plea was rejected by the court of criminal appeal of the Court of Appeal of Paris and an extradition order made on 16 November 1977 despite some protests in Germany, France and Italy. He was extradited to West Germany the following day. In a platform published in Le Monde on 2 November 1977, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari wrote:
Three things worry us immediately: the possibility that many German men of the left in an organized system of denouncement, see their life becoming intolerable in Germany, and are forced to leave their country. Conversely, the possibility that Croissant is delivered, returned to Germany where he risks the worst [Andreas Baader and his comrades had been found dead in their cells on October 18, 1977], or, simply expelled in a country of "choice" which would not accept him. Lastly, the prospect which whole Europe passes under this type of control claimed by Germany.
He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for supporting a designated terrorist organization. After his release, Croissant started to work for the Stasi, which registered him, in 1981, as Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter "IM Taler", Reg. Nr. XV/5231/81. His girlfriend, the taz-publisher and green member of the European Parliament Brigitte Heinrich, was led by Croissant to join his work for the Stasi till her death in 1987. In 1992, his collaboration with the Stasi was made public.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Croissant
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Klaus Croissant's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the date of Klaus Croissant's death?
- A.28 March 2002correct
- B.1 January 1992
- C.18 October 1977
- D.16 November 1977
Klaus Croissant died on 28 March 2002.
Source: biographical intro
2.Which political organization did Klaus Croissant join after 1990?
- A.The Red Army Faction
- B.The Stasi
- C.The Alternative Liste
- D.The PDScorrect
Klaus Croissant became a political activist for the PDS after 1990.
Source: biographical intro
3.Who stated that Klaus Croissant had organized his cabinet as the operational reserve of West German terrorism?
- A.Gilles Deleuze
- B.Félix Guattari
- C.Kurt Rebmanncorrect
- D.Michel Foucault
Kurt Rebmann, the Attorney General of Germany, made the claim about Klaus Croissant's cabinet.
Source: biographical events
4.To which country did Klaus Croissant abscond on 10 July 1977?
- A.The Netherlands
- B.East Germany
- C.Francecorrect
- D.Italy
After being released on bail, Klaus Croissant fled to France on 10 July 1977.
Source: biographical events
5.When was the extradition order made for Klaus Croissant in Paris?
- A.2 November 1977
- B.16 November 1977correct
- C.30 September 1977
- D.10 July 1977
The court of appeal of Paris made the extradition order on 16 November 1977.
Source: biographical events
6.Which two individuals wrote a platform in Le Monde regarding the case of Klaus Croissant?
- A.Andreas Baader and Kurt Rebmann
- B.Gaspard Dünkelsbühler and Peter O. Chotjewitz
- C.Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattaricorrect
- D.Jean-Paul Sartre and Michel Foucault
Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari published a platform in Le Monde on November 2, 1977, regarding the case.
Source: biographical events
7.What was the length of the prison sentence Klaus Croissant received for supporting a terrorist organization?
- A.Five years
- B.Two-and-a-half yearscorrect
- C.Ten years
- D.One year
Klaus Croissant was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for his support of a terrorist organization.
Source: later life section
8.Under what name was Klaus Croissant registered as an Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter by the Stasi?
- A.IM Berlin
- B.IM Klaus
- C.IM Red
- D.IM Talercorrect
The Stasi registered Klaus Croissant in 1981 under the name IM Taler.
Source: later life section
9.What was the registration number assigned to Klaus Croissant by the Stasi?
- A.Reg. Nr. XV/5231/81correct
- B.Reg. Nr. XI/1977/90
- C.Reg. Nr. X/1931/02
- D.Reg. Nr. XX/1987/81
The Stasi registered Klaus Croissant with the registration number XV/5231/81.
Source: later life section
10.Who was the girlfriend of Klaus Croissant that he led to join his work for the Stasi?
- A.Brigitte Heinrichcorrect
- B.Félix Guattari
- C.Michel Foucault
- D.Gaspard Dünkelsbühler
Klaus Croissant's girlfriend, Brigitte Heinrich, was led by him to join his Stasi work.
Source: later life section
11.In what year did Brigitte Heinrich pass away?
- A.1992
- B.1977
- C.1981
- D.1987correct
Brigitte Heinrich, who collaborated with Klaus Croissant for the Stasi, died in 1987.
Source: later life section
12.In what year was the collaboration between Klaus Croissant and the Stasi made public?
- A.1992correct
- B.1977
- C.1981
- D.1987
The collaboration of Klaus Croissant with the Stasi became public knowledge in 1992.
Source: later life section
13.What was one of the professions of Brigitte Heinrich?
- A.French judge
- B.Attorney General
- C.Taz-publishercorrect
- D.Lawyer
Brigitte Heinrich was a taz-publisher and a green member of the European Parliament.
Source: later life section
14.When was Klaus Croissant apprehended in Paris after absconding?
- A.18 October 1977
- B.30 September 1977correct
- C.10 July 1977
- D.2 November 1977
Klaus Croissant was apprehended by authorities in Paris on 30 September 1977.
Source: biographical events
15.What was the registration year of Klaus Croissant's Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter status?
- A.1992
- B.1987
- C.1977
- D.1981correct
The Stasi registered Klaus Croissant as an Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter in 1981.
Source: later life section
16.On what date was Klaus Croissant born?
- A.10 July 1977
- B.24 May 1931correct
- C.28 March 2002
- D.30 September 1977
Klaus Croissant was born on 24 May 1931.
Source: biographical intro
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