Werl Prison and the British Approach to Military Justice in Germany, 1945–1958
Werl Prison and the British Approach to Military Justice in Germany, 1945–1958
Author(s): Connor SebestyenSubject(s): Criminal Law, Law and Transitional Justice, Military history, Government/Political systems, Criminology, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Fascism, Nazism and WW II, Penal Policy
Published by: Wiener Wiesenthal Institut für Holocaust-Studien
Keywords: Werl prison; 1945-1958; British Military Government; German war criminals;
Summary/Abstract: This paper examines how the British Military Government treated German war criminals in custody, from the time of their sentencing in Royal Warrant courts to the time of their final release through mass amnesties by 1958. The British attempted to draw attention away from the imprisonment of war criminals, which was deeply unpopular amongst Germans, by treating them like ordinary common law criminals and having German warders guard them. The British came to deeply regret this system, as it undermined their public relations strategy and jeopardised security.
Journal: S:I.M.O.N. Shoah: Intervention. Methods. Documentation.
- Issue Year: 9/2022
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 29-43
- Page Count: 15
- Language: English