To clean up crime at its root and to "eradicate" it, without asking for social background, and reby paving way for troublesome hurdles of rule of law – in se ideas about fight against crime, Nationa met Lsozialisten himself with such policemen and jurists, who were away from m at first. These yearnings for radical crackdown, some of which are still topical today, seemed to be quickly fulfilled after 1933. With m began a development that resulted in relentless pursuit of "habitual and professional criminals" and finally in Tausendfachem murder.
The National Socialist crime-fighting was unbounded in spurts. On one, police and judiciary steadily extended population. On or, penalties were tightened until sanctions became preventive, racially motivated police and judicial power. No longer were only actual offences punished, but imputed will to furr criminal offences or alleged genetic disposition to crime. A murderous crime prevention according to racial principles has been rigorously punished by crime.
Soon after takeover of power, police turned against such criminals, to whom y had not yet come. In big raids, many of m were picked up and arrested. Especially social declassified, so-called "anti", were targeted. In mid-September 1933, police arrested beggars from streets and brought homeless people out of asylums. Several tens of thousands of people were temporarily arrested in this police mission. In November 1933, Nazi regime introduced "administrative detention" by decree. Now police have been able to hold several convicted people in custody without time limits and without judgement. A few days later a "law against dangerous habitual criminals" followed. It aggravated penalties for repeat offenders and made it possible to secure permanent custody of "if public security requires it".
But those who had to be considered as habitual criminals did not lay down law – judges were re. The image of habitual or professional criminal was based on a biologistical understanding, roots of which continue to go back. The proponents of crime biology saw cause of notorious crime in genetic predisposition. Thus, crimes could only be eradicated by placing offenders in a row. The statistics seemed to confirm this, but offenses like ft initially decreased significantly. Furr radicalisation thrusts of Nazi crime policy should push this trend forward.
by adopt ing "preventive fight against crime", police at end of 1937 were given almost unlimited possibilities of action against criminals and "anti". Investigators mselves were given power to interpret who could be proactively detained. Apart from triple criminal record, this could also happen to anyone who officials attested a will to furr offences or who supposedly "threaten public by his antisocial behaviour".
This text comes from magazine contemporary History No. 1/2018. You can purchase current booklet at kiosk or here.This wide and open definition found its counterpart in ever new major actions. In April 1938, in 2000, "work-shy" was arrested, i.e. people who had refused a job at least twice or left ir jobs unexcused. In June followed next major action against all classified as "asocial", i.e. beggars, tramps, pimps, "Gypsies", multiple criminals as well as Jews with a prison sentence. At least 10,000 people were picked up and taken to concentration camps in this wave of arrest described as "work-shy" action.
On support of population, "protective custody", as form of detention euphemistically was called, could hardly hope. The fact that it was "finally tidied up" with convicts, supporters, homeless and beggars did not only come to approval of regime's followers.
At beginning of war, fight against crime entered a new phase and struck a murderous course, but at same time criminality increased significantly. A new motive for prosecution was safeguarding of "Home Front": In first days of war, "military-degrading" men were arrested and imprisoned in concentration camps. More and more offences now had death penalty as highest sentence; The number of death sentences imposed – until end of war outside military judiciary around 17,000 – skyrocketed. Primarily, judges imposed maximum penalty on foreign forced laborers and "people's pests".
Date Of Update: 13 March 2018, 12:03
