Sondergerichte
Encyclopedia
A Sondergericht was a Nazi "special court
." After taking power in 1933, the Nazis quickly moved to remove internal opposition to the Nazi regime in Germany. The legal system became one of many tools for this aim and the Nazis gradually supplanted the normal justice system with political courts with wide ranging powers. The function of the special courts was to intimidate the German public, but as they expanded their scope and took over roles previously done by ordinary courts such as Amtsgerichte this function became diluted.
, following the Reichstag Fire Decree
where the Nazis assumed unlimited powers. The scope of its power was successively augmented by the
The number of Special Courts increased from 26 in 1933 to 74 in 1942.
A special court had three judges, and the defense council was appointed by the court. Verdicts could be executed at once, there was no possibility of appeal. The court decided the extent of evidence to consider, and "the defense attorneys couldn't question the proof of the charges".
in Nazi occupied Poland. In December of 1941, a special law was introduced by the Germans which allowed for the courts to sentence Poles and Jews to death for virtually anything.
The reason the court was created was dissatisfaction with the fact that most of the Communists that had been charged with burning down the Reichstag were acquitted. The function of this court was just as that of the special courts to suppress opposition to the regime.
The workload was divided between the People's Courts and the Special Courts in such a way that the former took the most important cases, while the latter dealt with a wider array of "crimes" of opposition to the Nazis.
Especially during the first years of their existence they "had a strong deterrent effect" against opposition to the Nazis, the German public was intimidated through "arbitrary psychological terror".
Special Court
A Special Court is a court in the United States that deals with a particular field of law rather than a particular territorial jurisdiction. Special courts can handle both civil and criminal disputes. Common forms of special courts include "Drug Courts," "Family Courts," and "Traffic Courts". In...
." After taking power in 1933, the Nazis quickly moved to remove internal opposition to the Nazi regime in Germany. The legal system became one of many tools for this aim and the Nazis gradually supplanted the normal justice system with political courts with wide ranging powers. The function of the special courts was to intimidate the German public, but as they expanded their scope and took over roles previously done by ordinary courts such as Amtsgerichte this function became diluted.
Function in Germany
The Special Courts came into being in 1933 after the Reichstag FireReichstag fire
The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany....
, following the Reichstag Fire Decree
Reichstag Fire Decree
The Reichstag Fire Decree is the common name of the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State issued by German President Paul von Hindenburg in direct response to the Reichstag fire of 27 February 1933. The decree nullified many of the key civil liberties of German...
where the Nazis assumed unlimited powers. The scope of its power was successively augmented by the
- "Decree to Protect the Government of the National Socialist Revolution from Treacherous Attacks" (21 March 1933),
- the "Law of 20 December 1934 against insidious Attacks upon the State and Party and for the Protection of the Party Uniform",
- the "Law for the Guarantee of Peace Based on Law" of 13 October 1933
- and a number of extensions when World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
commenced.
The number of Special Courts increased from 26 in 1933 to 74 in 1942.
A special court had three judges, and the defense council was appointed by the court. Verdicts could be executed at once, there was no possibility of appeal. The court decided the extent of evidence to consider, and "the defense attorneys couldn't question the proof of the charges".
Sondergerichte in occupied Poland
The special courts played a major role in carrying out summary executions via judicial murderJudicial murder
Judicial murder is the unjustified execution of death penalty.The term was first used in 1782 by August Ludwig von Schlözer in reference to the execution of Anna Göldi...
in Nazi occupied Poland. In December of 1941, a special law was introduced by the Germans which allowed for the courts to sentence Poles and Jews to death for virtually anything.
Function in other occupied territories
In countries under German military occupation, such as Norway, Sondergerichte were also set up. Special penal codes were set up, e.g. Polensonderstrafrechtsverordnung.People's courts
The People's court (Volksgerichtshof) was created in April 1934 for dealing with cases of treason or attacks on national or regional government members.The reason the court was created was dissatisfaction with the fact that most of the Communists that had been charged with burning down the Reichstag were acquitted. The function of this court was just as that of the special courts to suppress opposition to the regime.
The workload was divided between the People's Courts and the Special Courts in such a way that the former took the most important cases, while the latter dealt with a wider array of "crimes" of opposition to the Nazis.
Effect
Between 1933 and 1945, 12,000 Germans were killed on the orders of the "special courts" set up by the Nazi regime.Especially during the first years of their existence they "had a strong deterrent effect" against opposition to the Nazis, the German public was intimidated through "arbitrary psychological terror".