The State of Siege - A History of the State of Diligence

The state of siege was a limited suspension of constitutional provisions by a locally commanding military officer. Schmidt had worked closely on administering instances of this and related matters such as martial law. While working in the bavarian state apparatus during the war, he volunteered for the army who eagerly used his legal skills. The first half of the book is a historical tour de force, tracing the development of the theory of dictatorship through history.