Ministry of Justice (East Germany)

The Ministry of Justice of the German Democratic Republic was founded in 1949 in the GDR and dissolved with the reunification of Germany in 1990. His duties were then taken over by the Federal Ministry of Justice and the justice ministries of the countries. The Ministry of Justice of the GDR stood before the Minister of Justice, represented by a Secretary of State. The Minister adopted to supplement the laws orders and implementing regulations.

History

After the Second World War and the collapse of Nazism in May 1945, the victorious powers given in the four zones of occupation, the legal situation in Germany. In East Germany, this was the Soviet military administration SMAD. She arranged with the SMAD Order No. 17 on July 17, 1945, construction of a justice system in the Soviet occupation zone and thus called, which was founded in November 1945 German Central Administration for Justice DJV to life. The DJV went on in the founding of the GDR in October 1949 the Ministry of Justice of the GDR. Many people have been taken, such as, the last president of the DJV, Max Fechner (SED ).

Max Fechner was the first Attorney General of the GDR. The Gleichschaltung of Justice was already far advanced at this time. The ( provided for in the Constitution of the GDR ) judicial independence was not guaranteed, brought justice through the use of People judges on party line. The former justice ministries of the countries in 1953 downgraded to departments and delegate its functions largely to the new GDR Ministry. Because he had spoken out in an interview in the New Germany on June 30, 1953 against a prosecution of the striking workers of June 17, Fechner was dismissed as an enemy of the state and the party of his office, expelled from the SED, was arrested and eight years penitentiary convicted. He was succeeded on July 17, 1953 Hilde Benjamin (SED ), which led the Ministry from 1953 to 1967. In political criminal courts have been set by the Ministry of appeal.

Through the administration of justice decree of April 4, 1963 the Ministry of Justice has been withdrawn, the responsibility for the guidance and supervision of the courts and transferred to the Supreme Court, which reported to the State Council. Thus, the Ministry of Justice has been weakened. Hilde Benjamin retired in 1967 as Minister of. Successor as Minister of Justice of the GDR were politicians of the block party the Liberal Democratic Party. First Kurt wishes (1967-1972) and then Hans -Joachim Heusinger ( 1972-1990 ).

After the fall of Kurt wishes in 1990 again Minister of Justice and organized the transfer of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Justice to the newly created countries as well as the implementation of the Unification Treaty.

Minister 1949-1990

Secretaries and other officers

  • Herbert core ( from 1973, SED ), responsible for management issues and courts
  • Rolf Schwanitz (SPD ), July 23 bis August 20, 1990
  • Deputy Minister: Stephan Supranowitz (1972-1982, SED ), responsible for legislation and Economic
  • Deputy Minister: Hans Breitbarth ( NDPD ), responsible for organization and management
  • Department of Military Courts: Major General Günter Kalwert (from 1962)

Seat

The Justice Department had its seat in the Dorotheenstraße 93 in Berlin. The administration building from the thirties was previously used by the Reich Ministry of the Interior.

Publications

The Ministry of Justice was the editor of the journal New Justice.

Statute Neues Deutschland Association of Free Democrats
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