Richter der eigenen Sache

The ‘re-Nazification’ of many professions after 1945 has been proven beyond doubt. In this book, the author addresses the question of how it was possible for National Socialist lawyers, who had often been involved in cases in which indefensible sentences were passed (including the death sentence), to not only be reinstated in their positions but also to even frequently pursue a career in the judicial system. What mechanisms and preconditions were decisive in this respect? What role did superior authorities play? Why did attempts to investigate this topic in the 1950s and 60s fail? Using the example of lawyers involved in cases at special courts in Bavaria in which the death penalty was administered, this study is the first to answer these and other questions accurately, in exact detail and using manifold sources.