Hanns Martin Schleyer was born on 1 May 1915 in Offenburg, Baden, Germany. He was married to Waltrude Schleyer. He died on 18 October 1977 in northern France.
Was kidnapped by the militant Red Army Fraction in Cologne and shot dead on the way from Brussels to Mulhouse, France after 43 days as hostage (18 October 1977).