Small war crimes trial (Copenhagen)

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The trial before the Copenhagen District Court against former Gestapo chief Karl Heinz Hoffmann and eight other German defendants is referred to as the minor war crimes trial . They were convicted of crimes committed in Denmark during the German occupation of Denmark , with three acquitted on appeal.

Legal basis

Denmark joined the London Four Power Agreement of August 8, 1945 for the prosecution of major war criminals in September 1945 . On July 12, 1946, based on the IMT Statute and the Norwegian Law on the Prosecution of War Criminals, the Danish War Crimes Law, which allowed for appeal, came into force. The Danish legislature went further than the IMT statute but left out the charge of conspiracy. War crimes were therefore crimes that violated the rules of international law and had damaged Danish interests. The following should also be punished:

Crimes against humanity such as murder, mistreatment of civilians, prisoners and seafarers, killing of hostages, looting of public and private property, robbery of money or other assets, interference in state administration, ordering collective punishments, demolition or other destruction, all so far Act in conflict with the rules of international law applicable to occupation and war, as well as for deportation or other persecution for political, racial or religious reasons in conflict with Danish legal principles.

process

The trial took place in the Copenhagen District Court ( Byret ) and the verdict was pronounced on January 27, 1949. The appeal hearing took place before the Higher Regional Court of the East ( Ostre Landsret ) and the judgment was issued on January 19, 1950.

Defendants and judgments
Defendant function Charges District Court judgment Judgment appeal
Karl Heinz Hoffmann Head of the Gestapo death penalty 20 years
Georg Scherdin Head of the SD 6 years acquittal
Hans Pahl Head of the SD 8 years acquittal
Otto Schwerdt Peter group Counter terror ; Murder of Kaj Munk death penalty 24 years
Alfred Naujocks SD leader, Peter group Counter terror 15 years 4 years
Karl Zechenter Police chief Copenhagen 6 years acquittal
Hans laundry SD leader Counter terror 20 years 16 years
Louis Nebel Peter group Murder of Kaj Munk 12 years 16 years
Otto Wagner Peter group ? 7 years

See also

literature

  • Matthias Bath: Danebrog against the swastika, The Resistance in Denmark 1940-1945 , Wachholtz 2011, ISBN 978-3-529-02817-5 .
  • Karl Christian Lammers: The “Great” War Criminal Trial and Its Consequences , published in Transnational Politics of the Past , Ed. Norbert Frei , Wallstein 2006, ISBN 978-3-89244-940-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Matthias Bath: Danebrog against the swastika, The Resistance in Denmark 1940-1945 , p. 329 f.
  2. ^ Karl Christian Lammers: Late trials and mild punishments , p. 359.
  3. ^ Karl Christian Lammers: The "great" war crimes trial and its consequences , p. 359.
  4. ^ Matthias Bath: Danebrog against Hakenkreuz, The Resistance in Denmark 1940-1945 , pp. 330 ff.