History - Poseck: Auschwitz trial memorial to German legal history
For Hesse's Minister of Justice Roman Poseck (CDU), the Auschwitz trial 60 years ago is a milestone and a memorial to German legal history. It shows the possibilities and limits of coming to terms with the most serious crimes against humanity under criminal law, said the CDU politician at a commemorative event at Frankfurt District Court on Monday.
The then Attorney General Fritz Bauer and his staff had succeeded in proving the personal guilt and responsibility of several defendants for horrific acts in the Auschwitz camp.
The trial was, in the words of Fritz Bauer, bitter but necessary medicine for post-war Germany, said Poseck. "The trial made it clear that the crimes of National Socialism were not something abstract, but that they were committed by people - by fathers and mothers of families, by our ancestors - who bore a great deal of individual guilt," said Poseck.
The trial was the counterexample to the widespread thinking of drawing a line under the past in the young Federal Republic. At that time, the legal hurdles for proving a crime were set unjustifiably high.
"A lively culture of remembrance is essential today," said Poseck. This is especially true in times when forces on the far right are gaining strength. The trial, which began on December 20, 1963, is still highly relevant today with its message.
"It is intolerable that Jewish life is once again under threat here today," said the Minister of Justice. Everything must be done to protect our Jewish citizens. This is also a task for the constitutional state, which must take consistent action against all forms of anti-Semitism.
At the time, the indictment was directed against 23 former members of the SS and one prisoner in the German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. They were accused of murder and accessory to murder. The Frankfurt Auschwitz trial was the largest criminal trial of the post-war period and had a significance for society in the Federal Republic that went beyond the legal proceedings: not least the testimonies of surviving Auschwitz prisoners led to a confrontation with the German crimes.
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- The Auschwitz trial, a significant milestone and memorial in German legal history, was initiated by Attorney General Fritz Bauer and his team, leading to the conviction of several defendants for their roles in horrific acts at the Auschwitz concentration camp.
- This trial, considered bitter yet necessary medicine by Hesse's Minister of Justice Roman Poseck, served as a stark reminder of the individual guilt and responsibility of those involved in Nazi atrocities, who were often fathers and mothers of families.
- The Auschwitz trial challenged the prevailing notion of drawing a line under the past in the young Federal Republic, as the legal procedures in place at the time set unjustifiably high hurdles for proving a crime related to the Holocaust.
- The legal proceedings of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial had a profound impact on German society, transcending the courtroom as testimony from surviving Auschwitz prisoners sparked a necessary confrontation with the country's dark past.
- Fritz Bauer's legacy as a key figure in bringing Nazi perpetrators to justice continues to be a cornerstone of German legal history and a reminder of the importance of understanding and addressing the country's criminal past and present, including combating the resurgence of extremist ideologies and anti-Semitism.
Source: www.stern.de
