Berlin, Germany-Just outside the beautiful and spectacular Sony Center Shopping mallhere there is is a simple sidewalk brass marker. It is a reminder of terrible time in history when total judicial tyranny was practiced under National Socialism 1933-1945. Murder under color of law was the mission of the Chief Justice, Roland Frisler.
Frisler served in the WWI German Military where he was wounded and captured by Russians. While in captivity, Frisler embraced Marxism turning his back on his homeland. He joined the Communist party upon release but once again switched his allegiance joining the burgeoning Nazi Party. Frisler proved to be quite a social climber.
Frisler was a lawyer and was later appointed by Adolph Hitler as the People’s Court President. It has been said that he Frisler constantly proving himself as a super Nazi to counter those who questioned his changing loyalties. Frisler was ruthless and merciless as he sent over 5,000 German men, women and teenagers to the guillotine or gallows for even the most minor acts of resistance. Evidence presented before the court was often simple hearsay. The People’s Court court acquitted only a scant few before it. Frisler was also one of Hitler’s Judges that made sure everything done by the Nazi government was legal. He was also chosen as one of 15 high ranking Nazis that promulgated the Holocaust at the Wansee Conference during a two-hour luncheon.
Frisler escaped the hangman when he was killed when an Allied bombing raid on February 3, 1945 successfully targeted the People’s Court building. Rather than take refuge in a bomb shelter Frisler was busy safeguarding case files of those he was trying to murder.
