A reminder of some historical events 90 years ago:
“During his rise to power, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party frequently emphasized the need to restore law and order in Germany. This was a central theme in their propaganda and appeals to the German people, particularly in the turbulent political climate of the Weimar Republic. They blamed the existing government for unrest and social problems, promising to create a strong, stable state.
However, the "law and order" implemented by the Nazi regime was fundamentally different from what is understood in a democratic society. Instead of protecting individual rights and freedoms, Nazi law and order was driven by the belief that all individuals must be obedient and subordinate to the will of the state, with the Nazi Party determining what was "legal" based on their ideology.
Here's how Hitler and the Nazis established their version of "law and order":
1) Suppression of opposition: They used the legal system to eliminate political opponents and silence dissent. Laws were enacted to prohibit political opposition and establish systems for identifying, suppressing, and disposing of dissidents. The Reichstag Fire Decree after the Reichstag fire incident suspended civil liberties and gave the Nazis free rein to eliminate their political opponents.
2) Establishment of a police state: The Nazis quickly built a pervasive police state, with agencies like the Gestapo (Secret State Police) operating with considerable extra-legal powers.
3) Control of the judiciary: The existing court system was either "Nazified" or coerced into embracing Nazi legal reforms. New Nazi courts, like the Sondergerichte (Special Court) and Volksgerichtshof (People's Court), were set up to deal with "political crimes," operating outside existing court systems and legal jurisdictions. These courts abandoned standard legal procedures and principles like the presumption of innocence.
4);Perversion of the legal system: The legal system was used to legitimize the Nazis' terroristic dictatorship. For instance, the Nuremberg Laws, passed in 1935, stripped Jews of their German citizenship and legalized their persecution. This established a legal framework for future anti-Semitic measures, ultimately leading to the Holocaust.
In summary, while Hitler promised to restore law and order, his actions demonstrated that his definition was the enforcement of Nazi ideology and the suppression of any perceived opposition, leading to the persecution and extermination of millions of people.
Ronald D. Piña
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