von Leers: Thieves' Justice versus Patriotism
[Der Weg 1951-08] An original translation of „Ganoven - Gerichte gegen Reichstreue“
Title: Thieves' Justice versus Patriotism [de: Ganoven-Gerichte gegen Reichstreue]
Author: Johan von Leers as “Felix Schwarzenborn”
“Der Weg” Issue: Year 05, Issue 08 (August 1951)
Page(s): 568-570
Dan Rouse’s Note(s):
Der Weg - El Sendero is a German and Spanish language magazine published by Dürer-Verlag in Buenos-Aires, Argentina by Germans with connections to the defeated Third Reich.
Der Weg ran monthly issues from 1947 to 1957, with official sanction from Juan Perón’s Government until his overthrow in September 1955.
See the von Leers Index page for more information on his life and pseudonyms.
Source Document(s):
[LINK] Scans of 1951 Der Weg Issues (archive.org)
Thieves' Justice versus Patriotism
by Felix Schwarzenborn
Richter, ja Richter sind wohl da Wie sie verworfener kein menschliches Auge sah, Ein Schinder mit blutiger Schürze sitzt vor, Der Lüge gehört sein fleischiges Ohr, Beisitzer: Zuhälter und Roßtäuscherknecht, Ankläger ein Dieb — der klagt wohl recht. (Börries Frhr. von Münchhausen: Die Mauer-Ballade).
There are judges here, yes, but they are more depraved than any that human eyes have ever seen. Presiding is a torturer, his apron stained with blood, his fleshy ear ever receptive to lies. His assessors are a pimp and a horse trader’s servant, each a paragon of their own vices. And the prosecutor? A thief, who accuses with the same integrity he lives by.
Now, as the shameless farce of this so-called “denazification” in West Germany is slowly drawing to a close, after hundreds of thousands of families—often the most loyal, self-sacrificing, and patriotic—have been ruined by it, driven from work and bread, often from home and hearth, robbed and stripped of everything through the machinery of a pseudo-justice beyond all precedent; now, as the most venomous persecutor of the fatherland’s defenders and the Reich’s loyal, Philipp Auerbach, sits behind bars, charged as a grand swindler, awaiting his judgment—or, more likely, the whitewashing of his case!—now it is time to fling open a dossier we have long ached to reveal.
This dossier is far from complete. It holds only a fraction of those who served in “denazification” as chairmen, public prosecutors, or members of the denazification tribunals, and who have already faced punishment for base crimes. Since this collection is pieced together from the daily press, many cases—those hushed up, unreported, or buried in papers not scoured for this purpose—find no place here. The editors of this publication welcome reports of further crimes committed by tribunal members or other agents of the “denazification authorities.” It might prove useful to gather these deeds in one place, lest they slip into oblivion. Every decade or so, Germany’s political landscape tends to shift utterly; five years have already passed. And we’d like to treat these tribunal gentlemen as the dear Lord does his little stars, “counting them so not one goes missing.” Who knows what purpose that might serve?
So—“Entrance of the Gladiators!” “The true beast, the wild, beautiful beast, that, ladies, you’ll see only with me!” (Wedekind: Prolog zum „Erdgeist“). Step forward, in alphabetical order, you gentlemen of the democratic tribunals, persecutors of the dead and the maimed, of widows and children, of loyalty and honor!
Arndt, Heinrich, public prosecutor, Straubing Denazification Tribunal—arrested for document forgery and embezzlement, relentless check fraud totaling 20,000 DM in damages (Donaukurier, March 1, 1949; Schwäbische Landeszeitung, February 25, 1949).
Bauer, Josef, first chairman, Schwabach Tribunal, ousted amid a flood of accusations (Isar-Post, August 8, 1947).
Claußen, Gustav, public prosecutor, the infamous Dachau Tribunal! False affidavits, perjury—sentenced to one year and three months by Munich II Regional Court’s 1st Criminal Chamber (Süddeutsche Zeitung, November 25, 1948).
Ebner, Hans, Kötzting, public prosecutor, Tribunal IX Munich, jailed one year by Munich I Regional Court’s 1st Criminal Chamber for destroying documents, forgery in office, aggravated bribery, and simple bribery (Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 11, 1949; Schwäbische Landeszeitung, February 14, 1949).
Grabka, manager, Tribunal II Regensburg, arrested for profiteering (Schwäbische Landeszeitung, June 7, 1947).
Hansen, public prosecutor, Obernburg Tribunal, two years in prison from Aschaffenburg Regional Court for questionnaire forgery—masking crimes as political offenses—and mistreating defendants (Süddeutsche Zeitung, April 22, 1947).
Keilhold, Rudolf, chairman, Munich Land Tribunal, sentenced to one year and three months by Munich Regional Court for usurping office, false affidavits, and perjury.
Knoblauch, Heinrich, prosecutor, Rosenheim-Land Tribunal, one year in prison for bribery in two cases (Süddeutsche Zeitung, January 17, 1948).
Krammer, Franz, office manager, Landshut-City Tribunal, forged a sales contract to seize household goods, stole items, confessed; also charged with embezzlement in office and inciting forgery, arrested (Isar-Post, April 9, 1947).
Ludolph, chairman, Treysa Tribunal, Hesse, arrested for securing ten hundredweight of coal through document forgery (Frankenpost, September 11, 1946).
Münster, Karl, chairman, Usingen Tribunal, Taunus, acquitted of fraud and title misuse (Wiesbaden Criminal Chamber), but later exposed for an 18-year sentence in 1936 for a 1920 manslaughter (Schwäbische Landeszeitung, December 1, 1948).
Pfeuffer, Michael, public prosecutor, Tribunal Munich I, one year and six months from Munich I Regional Court’s 5th Criminal Chamber for persistent bribery and breaches of War Economy Regulations, with leniency noted (Süddeutsche Zeitung, March 5, 1949).
Reichel, William, first chairman, Coburg-City Tribunal, arrested for concealing prior convictions to gain his post; sentenced to two years and six months by Coburg Regional Court, hiding a 1939 Breslau sentence of three years and one month for aiding abortion and aggravated procuring (Neue Presse, October 21, 1948).
Renell, Heinz, chairman, Stuttgart Tribunal, two years in prison and a 15,000 DM fine from Stuttgart Jury Court for bribery; admitted extorting “donations” of 1,000 to 5,000 marks, claiming, “I never saw myself as a judge, nor felt any moral duty!” (Frankenpost, August 14, 1948).
Spengel, Karl, tribunal chairman, launched proceedings against a neighbor over a personal grudge, knowing her apolitical past; Rosenheim Lay Judges’ Court gave him just three months (Fränkische Landeszeitung, February 5, 1947).
Weber, Josef, public prosecutor, Kempten Appeals Chamber, dismissed for coercion, favoritism, and usurping office (Münchner Merkur, February 27, 1948).
Wiebach, Siegfried, “chief” of the guard, Göggingen internment camp, thirteen months from Augsburg Regional Court for fraud and passive bribery (Münchner Merkur, February 23, 1948).
Zerrle, Hans, second chairman, Tribunal Munich VI, arrested by criminal police for bribery.
Zilian, Otto, office manager, Rothenburg ob der Tauber Tribunal, fled after bigamy surfaced; sentenced to two years and three months by Ansbach Regional Court for embezzlement in office and document forgery (Fränkische Landeszeitung, August 2, 1947; Frankenpost, July 26, 1948).
And so it goes, year by year, until even the leading figure of denazification, Mr. Auerbach, stands exposed as a document forger of colossal scale! Each month brings fresh cases—no wonder private firms and authorities refuse to hire anyone tainted by tribunal service. Silently, the quiet boycott of the decent nation tightens around traitors and lackeys, crooks and enemies of the people.