The Social Courts System of the German Democratic Republic
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2810949638 THE SOCIAL COURTS SYSTEM OF THE GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC STEPHEN BAISTER PhD Thesis Faculty of Laws University College London 1992 BIBL > 10NDIN UNIV. , ProQuest Number: 10609843 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10609843 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Abstract The social courts of the German Democratic Republic consisted of disputes commissions (based at the workplace) and arbitration commissions (based in the community and in certain co operatives). They had their origins partly in Soviet models of lay justice and partly in the old German institution of the Schiedsmann (arbitrator). They had advisory and conciliatory functions, but also heard a wide range of employment and disciplinary matters, minor civil disputes and petty crime. Hearings took place in public before elected lay judges ("members"), usually outside working hours. Proceedings were relatively informal and were conducted on inquisitorial rather than adversarial principles and without representation by lawyers. Orders could be made imposing "educational measures" which aimed to educate deviant individuals to socialist standards of behaviour. In addition, recommendations could be made for the elimination of the causes of conflict in society. Decisions (which could be enforced) were subject to appeal to the state courts at the instance of the parties or the procuracy. The social courts were an important manifestation of the communist organizational principle of "democratic centralism" whereby centrally planned aims were realized locally through elected agencies. Although described as "social" they were an integral part of the state system of administration of justice. They aimed to build socialism by educating people to socialist principles, by attacking the root causes of lawlessness in society and by involving the people in dispensing justice as well as safeguarding individual rights. They disciplined rather than punished. They were abolished after unification with the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990 but were replaced by arbitration committees, a limited, if unsuccessful, continuation of the tradition that occurred only because of the lack of judges and legally qualified personnel in the East. Contents Abstract ..............................................................................................................................................2 Contents ........................................................................................................................................... 4 List of Illustrations ..........................................................................................................................8 List of Tables .....................................................................................................................................9 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 10 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................12 Chapter I The Origins of Lay Justice in the Soviet U nion............................................... 15 Chapter II The Origins of the Social Courts in the German Democratic Republic ............................................................................................................... 27 The Pre-War Origins and the Early Years (1945 — 1952) .............................. 27 The First Legislation (1952 — 1953)................................................................. 35 The Extension of Lay Justice (1953 — 1959)................................................... 39 The Period of Legal Reform (1960 — 1963) ................................................... 44 From the Rechtspflegeerlafl to the New Constitution (1963 — 1968) .............. 50 The Legislation of June 1968 ............................................................................ 60 The 1970s ............................................................................................................. 67 The 1982 Legislation ......................................................................................... 73 Chapter III The Formation and Constitution of the Social C ourts.................................... 77 Types of Social Courts ....................................................................................... 77 Areas of Operation............................................................................................. 77 - 4 - The Selection and Election of Members .......................................................... 80 The Conduct of Elections .................................................................................. 82 The Status of Members ...................................................................................... 88 Chapter IV The Operation of the Social Courts ................................................................ 92 Jurisdiction .......................................................................................................... 92 Employment Disputes ................................................................................ 94 Criminal and Quasi-Criminal Cases .......................................................... 102 Breaches of Educational Obligations .......................................................... 104 Simple Civil and other D isputes................................................................ 104 Activities of the Social Courts ........................................................................... 105 Giving Legal Advice...................... 105 Conciliation.................................................................................................. 105 Hearings ...................................................................................................... 106 The Hearing........................................................................................................ 107 Application .................................................................................................. 107 R eferral........................................................................................................ 108 Preparation ................................................................................................. 110 The Conduct of the Hearing ....................................................................... 113 The Decision of the Court ......................................................................... 118 Educational Measures ......................................................................................... 120 Recommendations ............................................................................................. 124 Miscellaneous Matters ...................................................................................... 126 After the Hearing............................................................................................... 127 Chapter V Appeals and Safeguards .................................................................................... 128 Chapter VI Training, Management and Support ................................................................ 138 - 5 - Training............................................................................................................... 138 Management and Support.................................................................................. 142 Chapter VII The Social Courts, the Legal System, State and Society................................. 150 The Nature of the Legal System in the GDR ................................................. 150 The Position of the Social Courts in the Legal System .................................. 156 The Social Courts and Democratic Centralism ............................................... 158 The Social Courts, State and Society ................................................................. 162 Chapter VIII The Social and Political Role of the Social Courts ....................................... 170 Chapter IX The Social Courts in Comparative Perspective: The Communist W orld.................................................................................................................... 181 The Soviet U nion................................................................................................ 181 Bulgaria ............................................................................................................... 183 Czechoslovakia .................................................................................. : ..................186 Hungary ............................................................................................................... 189 Poland ................................................................................................................. 191 Romania ............................................................................................................