Die Staatsanwaltschaft als rechts- und kriminalpolitische Steuerungsinstanz im NS-Regime

In this work the role of the prosecution as a controlling instance during the NS-dictatorship is analysed for the first time. It examines to what extent the claim of the political leadership – using the prosecution as a guiding instance of building a Nazi judicature – was put into practice. The example of their activity at the Sondergericht Cologne serves to illuminate the dealings of the prosecution with regard to selected crimes and their importance as investigation, suspension, accusation and clemency authorities. In addition, the work examines their function as a mediator between the Reich Ministry of Justice and local law agencies as well as an interface between the courts and those non-judicial institutions of persecution such as in particular the (secret state) police. Special attention is given to the war years, in which the prosecutors were not only confronted with increasing controlling endeavours and challenges caused by the war but also with tremendous sociopolitical changes.