The Politics of International Criminal Justice: German Perspectives from Nuremberg to The Hague (Studies in International Law)

For those interested in exploring the entanglement of international criminal justice with the interests of States, Germany is a particularly curious, exemplary case. Although a liberal democracy since 1949, its political position has been altered radically in the last 60 years. Starting from a position of harsh scepticism in the years following the Nuremberg Trials, and opening up to the rationales of international criminal justice only slowly - and then mainly in the context of domestic trials against functionaries of the former East German regime after 1990 - Germany is today one of the most active supporters of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The climax of this is its campaigning to make the ICC independent of the UN Security Council - a debate in which Germany took a position in stark contrast to the US. This book is a readable and interesting study of Germany's curious relationship with international criminal justice, offering new insight into the debates leading up to such policy shifts. Drawing on government documents and interviews with policymakers, it enriches a broader debate on the politics of international criminal justice, which has to date often been focused primarily on the US. (Series: Studies in International Law - Vol. 41) To anyone setting out to explore the entanglement of international criminal justice with the interests of States, Germany is a particularly curious, exemplary case. Although a liberal democracy since 1949, its political position has altered radically in the last 60 years. Starting from a position of harsh scepticism in the years following the Nuremberg Trials, and opening up to the rationales of international criminal justice only slowly - and then mainly in the context of domestic trials against functionaries of the former East German regime after 1990 - Germany is today one of the most active supporters of the International Criminal Court. The climax of this is its campaigning to make the ICC independent of the UN Security Council - a debate in which Germany took a position in stark contrast to the United States. This book offers new insight into the debates leading up to such policy shifts. Drawing on government documents and interviews with policymakers, it enriches a broader debate on the politics of international criminal justice which has to date often been focused primarily on the United States. Introduction -- The Politics Of Historical Truth : An Outline -- German Objectives To The Nuremburg Trials After 1949 -- Germany's Own Gdr Trials After 1989 -- German Support For The Un Ad Hoc Tribunals In The 1990s -- Germany's Role (and Stake) In The Creation Of The Icc -- Cosmopolitan Ideals And National Interests : Concluding Remarks. Ronen Steinke. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [136]-148) And Index. To anyone setting out to explore the entanglement of international criminal justice with the interests of States, Germany is a particularly curious, exemplary case. This book draws on government documents and interviews with policymakers, to enrich a broader debate which has to date often been focused primarily on the United States. The politics of "historical truth" : an outline German objections to the Nuremberg trials after 1949 Germany's own GDR trials after 1989 German support for the UN ad hoc tribunals in the 1990s Germany's role (and stake) in the creation of the ICC Cosmopolitan ideals and national interests : concluding remarks.