The legal system, judges and the law courts

• What organization must all judges be a member of according to the Nazis?


  The National Socialist League for the Maintenance of the Law
• What could happen to judges who gave verdicts that displeased the Nazis?


  They could have their membership removed, effectively sacking them as judges
• What legal process did the Nazis abolish?


  Trial by jury
• Who decided innocence and guilt after the abolition of trial by jury?


  The tame judges
• What was the name of the separate court system set up for ‘political crimes’?

  The People’s Court
• How were judges for the People’s Court selected?


  They were hand-picked
• What rights were denied in the trials held by the People’s Court?


  There was no right of appeal
• How did punishments change between 1934 and 1939 compared to 1930 and 1932?


  They became harsher, with 534 executions for political offences compared to eight
• How many people were executed for political offences between 1934 and 1939?

  534 people
• How many crimes carried the death penalty in 1933 compared to 1939?


  Increased from three to 46
• Was Nazi control over the legal system absolute?


  No, people were occasionally acquitted of political crimes
• What does it mean to be acquitted of a crime?


  To be found not guilty
• 1.All judges had to be a member of the newly set up National Socialist League for the Maintenance of the Law. If the judges gave verdicts that displeased the Nazis, they could have their membership removed, effectively sacking them as judges.
• 2. The Nazis abolished trial by jury. The tame judges would decide innocence and guilt as well as the punishments.
• 3. Finally, Hitler set up a separate court system for ‘political crimes’ known as the ‘People’s Court’. Judges for these courts were hand-picked and trials held secretly with no right of appeal.
• 4. Punishments became harsher. Between 1934 and 1939 534 people were executed for political offences, compared to eight between 1930 and 1932. The number of crimes that carried the death penalty increased from three to 46 between 1933 and 1939.
• 5. However, the Nazi control over the legal system was not absolute, and people were on occasion still acquitted (found not guilty) of political crimes.