Ernst Frankel and the Legal Landscape of Nazi Germany

This chapter examines the life and impact of Ernst Frankel, a pivotal figure in early 20th-century German labor law, highlighting his efforts to defend dissenters against the oppressive Nazi regime. It discusses the challenges faced by Jewish lawyers under anti-Semitic laws, the complexities of the Weimar Republic’s transition, and the gradual corruption of the legal system by the Nazis. Ultimately, it explores the dark implications of the prerogative state as theorized by Frankel, revealing the multifaceted reasons behind the compliance of legal officials during this tumultuous era.