532:
464:
regulation was formulated meant that a conviction generally came from a denunciation by associates, though some convictions came from remarks in letters or slogans written on walls. The nature of denunciations meant the potential accuser could hardly be certain that during the course of the investigation, he would not also be denounced. The fact that every soldier was informed about the consequences of uttering banned speech may have inhibited the number of denunciations.
22:
385:, criticizes him and his actions, spreads disparaging news or vilifies him, is without honor and worthy of death. Neither standing nor rank, nor personal circumstances or other grounds can exculpate such a case. In the most difficult, deciding period of the war, whoever expresses doubt about the final victory and thereby causes others to waver, has likewise forfeited his life!"
368:
The word "openly" provided room for interpretation by authorities, so that even remarks made within one's own family could be used by relatives against the accused. The vague wording of the regulation made it possible to criminalize every type of criticism, also by civilians, deliberately encouraging
677:
should or will relinquish power and, like the
Italian model, make way for the understanding of peace; a military dictatorship must be established and will be able to forge peace, one must work slowly in order to bring about the conclusion; an intrusion of bolshevism would not be as bad as the
463:
says the number of convictions was likely to have been closer to 30,000. The number of convictions and proportion of death sentences steadily increased towards the end of the war as criticism increased and the awaited "final victory" was pushed further and further into the future. The way the
363:
Whoever openly challenges or incites others to refuse to fulfill their duty to serve in the German armed forces or their allies, or otherwise openly tries to self-assertively put up a fight to cripple or subvert the will of the German people or their allies ... will be sentenced to death for
678:
propaganda paints it, and will only harm the leading
National Socialists; the English or the Americans will stop bolshevism at the German border; urging by word of mouth or letters to the front to throw down their guns or turn back; the FĂĽhrer is sick, incompetent, a butcher, etc."
369:
denunciation as a means to more comprehensively control the population. That "undermining the war effort" in Nazi
Germany was by no means a trivial offense is seen in the 1 November 1944 decree from the head of the National Socialist Secret Service of the
673:. He wrote, "No longer tolerable and fundamentally worthy of death are remarks of the following kind: The war is lost; Germany or the FĂĽhrer picked a fight and senselessly or frivolously started the war and must lose it; the
975:
Die
Rehabilitierung von Deserteuren der Deutschen Wehrmacht unter historischen, juristischen und politischen Gesichtspunkten mit Kommentierung des Gesetzes zur Aufhebung nationalsozialistischer Unrechtsurteile (NS-AufhG vom
444:
to a nurse, saying "If it had succeeded, the war would have been over in five days and we'd have been able to go home." Engel was sentenced to death but escaped the sentence by fleeing to the
627:
The term is nuanced, making it difficult to translate in a way that clearly conveys its sense. In picking any equivalent word, the translator necessarily leaves out all the others. The word
288:. Speaking before military lawyers, he said, "...similar circumstances exist with subversive remarks, which may be seen as violations of the Treachery Act. Protracted submission to the
633:
means "decomposition", "corrosion", "disintegration", "putrefaction", "degradation" or "degrading", but is also used figuratively to mean "subversion" and "disruptiveness". The word
164:
were repealed as unjust. Current German military law neither contains the term "undermining the military" nor its extensive rules, but a few offences included under the umbrella of
252:
but escalates the severity of the crime, with critical remarks by soldiers violating the
Treachery Act were previously punished merely with a prison term, but the KSSVO added the
303:
served during the war years as an instrument of terror to maintain the soldiers' "will to persevere" through coercion. Especially in the later stages of the war, the Nazi and
216:, used by the Nazi Party is typically translated into English as "undermining military force" or "subversion of the war effort" (in reference to the forthcoming
857:
451:
The introduction of the KSSVO marked a new stage in the persecution of the Nazis' political opponents and many thousands of them were killed. According to
292:
to order a criminal prosecution is unnecessary if you approach the statement as undermining the military, which will be possible in almost every case."
767:
516:" is § 109d, places penalties on untruthful remarks that "disturb the operations of the Bundeswehr", as well as § 109 StGB. Military
289:
107:
814:
835:
308:
473:
959:
940:
918:
886:
712:
208:
means decay, decomposition, disintegration, dissolving (especially by acids), but also subversion or corruption. The context of
702:
665:
These examples were translated from the German
Knowledge (XXG). Some of them bear a strong resemblance to a quote from Dr.
244:
all criticism, dissent and behavior opposed to Nazi political and military leadership, particularly within the
Wehrmacht's
593:
1001:
996:
864:
Article about program honoring Knauf's 110th birthday. Official City of
Meerane website. Retrieved September 6, 2011
854:
531:
262:
or prison sentence only in minor cases. With the introduction of the
Wartime Regulations for Criminal Procedures (
991:
670:
599:
497:
573:
485:
316:
125:
99:
771:
400:
344:
188:
in various forms depending on context, and is difficult to translate in its sense used by the Nazi Party.
460:
275:
249:
144:
abolished in 1945 after Nazi
Germany's defeat, but text from the penal code continued to be used by the
751:
952:
Die anderen Soldaten. Wehrkraftzersetzung, Gehorsamsverweigerung und Fahnenflucht im Zweiten Weltkrieg
652:
That was a clear case of wrongful judgement. The law as it stood, vague and tyrannical as it was, did
541:
505:
90:
leadership in the military, and in 1939, a second decree was issued extending the law to civilians.
233:
59:
117:
666:
955:
936:
914:
882:
708:
832:
500:, and was not replaced until military law reforms in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Former
320:
274:'s discretion and the degree of arbitrariness involved are indicated in a 1942 statement by
245:
185:
153:
29:
488:, inherited legislation that had been used by Nazi Germany and its predecessors, including
861:
839:
553:
336:
241:
177:
121:
51:
21:
933:
Ungehorsame Soldaten. Dissens, Verweigerung und Widerstand deutscher Soldaten (1939–1945)
911:
Aufstand des Gewissens. Militärischer Widerstand gegen Hitler und das NS-Regime 1933–1945
637:
translates verbatim as "military power" or "military strength". See the translation of
433:
271:
129:
476:
on 8 May 1945, and the state was formally dissolved on May 23, effectively abolishing
985:
608:
568:
437:
425:"is not so bad or that the democracy of our western neighbors could be contemplated".
340:
328:
253:
558:
536:
517:
481:
441:
432:
remarks were not prosecuted under military law, but were tried in military-backed "
300:
284:
145:
77:
63:
319:" be prevented. At the beginning of 1943, the jurisdiction was transferred to the
339:
but by this time advanced to be the usual courts against common criminality. The
604:
588:
583:
578:
563:
445:
348:
312:
629:
513:
422:
315:. Every act of resistance was to be suppressed so that a reoccurrence of the "
217:
95:
81:
879:
Der Tod von Plötzensee : Erinnerungen, Ereignisse, Dokumente, 1942-1944
724:
429:
404:
371:
258:
157:
149:
103:
86:
33:
799:
455:
criminal statistics, by 30 June 1944 there had been 14,262 convictions for
381:
266:
or KStVO), those accused under the law were also deprived of the right to
197:
140:
55:
279:
112:
783:
396:
Doubt about the legitimacy of the struggle for survival imposed on us
379:"It has long been self-evident that whoever expresses doubt about the
307:
leadership were greatly afraid of repetition of the events during the
156:
system, and all Nazi military sentencing for conscientious objection,
727:
Dict.cc online German-English dictionary. Retrieved September 4, 2011
267:
73:
907:
Der militärische Widerstand in der zweiten Kriegshälfte 1942–1944/45
641:
520:
in Germany was suspended in 2011 for an indefinite period of time.
736:
674:
530:
504:-based laws are currently regulated under §§ 109-109k of the
492:. West Germany's military law featured texts and phrases based on
20:
220:), "undermining military morale", and "sedition and defeatism".
148:. On 25 August 1998 and 23 July 2002, after lengthy debate, the
94:
consolidated and redefined paragraphs already in the military
928:. herausgegeben vom deutschen Versöhnungsbund, Gruppe Minden.
802:
Juristischer Informationsdienst. Retrieved September 5, 2011
415:
Disparaging that important weapon in war: German propaganda
978:. Universität der Bundeswehr, Munich (2005). Dissertation.
954:. Fischer Taschenbuchverlag GmbH, Frankfurt am Main 1995,
768:
SPD-Politiker Norbert Engel starb im Alter von 87 Jahren.
739:
uboat.net Listing of U-boats. Retrieved September 4, 2011
855:"mdr figaro wĂĽrdigt Leben und Schaffen von Erich Knauf"
512:). Offences such as "Disturbing Propaganda against the
440:, after expressing his regret over the failure of the
270:, further weakening them at trial. The extent of the
881:(in German). Frankfurt am Main: Bloch. p. 222.
508:
titled "Crimes against the Defense of the Country" (
842:Gedenkstätte-Plötzensee. Retrieved August 15, 2011
935:. Röhrig Universitäts-Verlag, St. Ingbert (1994),
833:Short biography of Elli Hatschek (original German)
701:Ian Dear and Michael Richard Daniell Foot (Eds.),
248:. The definition of the term is equivalent to the
820:(November 22, 2010). Retrieved September 5, 2011
707:Oxford University Press (2001), pp. 365–367
412:Cultivating private contact with prisoners of war
389:Among others, examples of subversion given were:
32:on 8 September 1943 against Dr. Alois Geiger for
815:"Wehrpflicht soll zum 1. Juli ausgesetzt werden"
540:for Elfriede Maria Scholz, sister of the author
418:Discussing contingencies in the event of defeat
152:removed the Nazi-era sentences from the German
968:Geschichte – Die Zeit des Nationalsozialismus
484:(West Germany), established in 1949 from the
472:Nazi Germany surrendered after signing their
168:remain on the statute books in a vague form.
54:for "corroding of defensive strength") was a
8:
877:Gostomski, Victor von; Loch, Walter (1993).
752:"Kriegssonderstrafrechtsverordnung (KSSVO)"
436:", such as in the case of Norbert Engel, a
327:), though minor cases could be sent to the
784:Virtuelles Denkmal "Gerechte der Pflege":
747:
745:
224:Definition in the Nazi military penal code
754:lexexakt.de. Retrieved September 6, 2011
200:' (a cognate of the English word "war");
926:Vergessene Opfer, verdrängter Widerstand
697:
695:
913:. 4th edition. Mittler, Berlin (1994),
691:
620:
510:Straftaten gegen die Landesverteidigung
16:German military law during the Nazi era
486:occupation zones of the Western Allies
468:Use in the Federal Republic of Germany
393:Remarks in opposition to Nazi ideology
335:) that were originally instituted for
950:Norbert Haase, Gerhard Paul (Hrsg.):
116:. Convictions were punishable by the
7:
704:The Oxford Companion to World War II
496:during its existence and after the
459:, though German military historian
240:or KSSVO) on 17 August 1938, which
236:by the Wartime Special Penal Code (
98:to punish "seditious" acts such as
725:Translation of wehrkraftzersetzung
14:
737:U-154: General notes on this boat
656:prohibit conscientious objection.
282:and chief medical officer in the
238:Kriegssonderstrafrechtsverordnung
669:, a Ministerial Director at the
347:, prioritized hunting-down, not
299:in the course of preparing for
295:The regulations created by the
818:Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
204:means power, force, strength;
1:
715:. Retrieved September 4, 2011
80:to suppress criticism of the
28:death sentence issued by the
909:. In: Heinrich Walle (Ed.):
409:Doubt about military reports
399:Dissemination of news about
351:, as their express purpose.
264:Kriegsstrafverfahrensordnung
192:is composed of three parts:
482:Federal Republic of Germany
146:Federal Republic of Germany
76:as Germany moved closer to
1018:
671:Reich Ministry of Justice
480:in its intended use. The
364:undermining the military.
160:, and all other forms of
790:Retrieved 16 April 2020.
498:reunification of Germany
230:Zersetzung der Wehrkraft
214:Zersetzung der Wehrkraft
66:era from 1938 to 1945.
47:Zersetzung der Wehrkraft
474:Instrument of Surrender
359:§5 of the KSSVO reads:
184:can be translated into
100:conscientious objection
72:was enacted in 1938 by
549:
524:People executed under
110:, and questioning the
36:
534:
461:Manfred Messerschmidt
250:Treachery Act of 1934
120:, heavy sentences in
24:
542:Erich Maria Remarque
506:German criminal code
421:The assertion, that
403:and German soldiers
311:that occurred after
104:defeatist statements
1002:Law of Nazi Germany
997:German military law
945:Saarland-Bibliothek
772:SaarbrĂĽcker Zeitung
546:Wehrkraftzersetzung
526:Wehrkraftzersetzung
502:Wehrkraftzersetzung
494:Wehrkraftzersetzung
490:Wehrkraftzersetzung
478:Wehrkraftzersetzung
457:Wehrkraftzersetzung
343:, not unlike later
290:Minister of Justice
234:German military law
232:was established in
210:Wehrkraftzersetzung
190:Wehrkraftzersetzung
182:Wehrkraftzersetzung
166:Wehrkraftzersetzung
162:Wehrkraftzersetzung
136:Wehrkraftzersetzung
126:concentration camps
92:Wehrkraftzersetzung
70:Wehrkraftzersetzung
60:German military law
41:Wehrkraftzersetzung
26:Wehrkraftzersetzung
924:Kristian Kossack:
860:2011-07-19 at the
838:2018-06-23 at the
574:Franz Jägerstätter
550:
434:accelerated trials
276:Alfred Fikentscher
37:
973:Frithjof Päuser:
309:German Revolution
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992:Nazi terminology
905:Peter Hoffmann:
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892:
874:
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325:Volksgerichtshof
317:stab-in-the-back
246:military justice
154:criminal justice
122:military prisons
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591:, commander of
554:Helene Gotthold
544:, executed for
529:
470:
438:physiotherapist
357:
345:drumhead courts
226:
174:
130:Strafbataillons
108:self-mutilation
17:
12:
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5:
1015:
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980:
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931:Gerhard Paul:
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341:Sondergerichte
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329:Sondergerichte
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30:People's Court
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18:
976:28.05.1998)
866:(in German)
844:(in German)
822:(in German)
804:(in German)
756:(in German)
589:Oskar Kusch
584:Anna Krauss
579:Erich Knauf
564:Otto Hampel
446:Netherlands
349:due process
313:World War I
62:during the
58:offence in
986:Categories
686:References
639:Zersetzung
630:Zersetzung
514:Bundeswehr
423:Bolshevism
218:war effort
206:zersetzung
96:penal code
82:Nazi Party
635:Wehrkraft
615:Footnotes
453:Wehrmacht
430:Defeatist
405:deserting
372:Luftwaffe
305:Wehrmacht
297:Wehrmacht
259:Zuchthaus
228:The term
172:Etymology
158:desertion
150:Bundestag
87:Wehrmacht
34:defeatism
858:Archived
836:Archived
141:de facto
56:sedition
964:Fischer
548:in 1943
280:admiral
198:defence
196:means '
186:English
180:phrase
113:Endsieg
966:12769
958:
939:
917:
885:
711:
382:FĂĽhrer
268:appeal
178:German
74:decree
52:German
675:NSDAP
642:here.
594:U-154
278:, an
212:, or
202:kraft
128:, or
956:ISBN
937:ISBN
915:ISBN
883:ISBN
709:ISBN
607:and
605:Hans
194:Wehr
176:The
138:was
84:and
947:9).
654:not
44:or
988::
970:).
744:^
694:^
448:.
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132:.
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788:.
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