As a judge on Hitler's dreaded wartime People's Court, Hans-Joachim Rehse signed 231 death sentences. Last year a West German lower court sentenced Rehse, now 66, to five years in prison as an accessory to "legal murder." Plainly convinced that the sentence was far too light, the Federal Court in Karlsruhe ordered a retrial on the grounds that he was either wholly responsible or wholly innocent and should be sentenced accordingly. Last week a Berlin criminal court touched off a nationwide uproar by acquitting Rehse.
Catcalls and outraged shouts of "Pfui, Pfui!" interrupted Judge Ernst-Juergen...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
