Existing comment:
[3 Front]
Only the best?
The Federal Ministry of Justice's personal policy between 1949 and 1963
01 The "Final Denazification Law"
Dr. Adenauer's objective of integrating the civil servants of the "Third Reich" in the new state was implemented in 1951. All former civil servants, judges, workers and employees of the Nazi state were given the right to be reemployed.
The following exceptions were made:
• those classified as "main offenders" or "offenders" in the denazification process. Across all the zones of occupation, this applied to only 1.4 percent of all the people vetted, of whom 1,071 were civil servants.
• former members of the Gestapo or Waffen SS. An exception was made if they had taken on this activity "against their will", however. Since this was assumed even if they had consented to the transfer – which was almost always the case – members of the Gestapo and Waffen SS also had a right to reemployment.
02 Reliance of "Proven Personnel"
Adenauer in his government declaration of 20 September 1949:
"We stand fundamentally and decidedly on the ground of the civil service. Much misfortune and much harm have been caused by denazification. Those really guilty of the crimes committed in the Nazi period and during the war should be rigorously punished. But otherwise we should no longer put people into two categories: those who are politically irreproachable and those who are not irreproachable. This distinction must disappear as soon as possible."
03 Walter Strauss' Personnel Policy
Dr. Walter Strauß – who was himself persecuted by the Nazis - was responsible for the BMJ's personnel policy between 1949 and 1963. He held the office of State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice under six Ministers of Justice. His personnel selection emphasised candidates' specialist legal skills.
"People with the qualifications for such ministerial service are a relatively limited resource at all times (...). An administration can only perform such tasks (...) if it succeeds in recruiting the best men. (...) The decision should be based only on objective qualifications." |