Roland Freisler Biography

Roland Freisler was a German Nazi jurist, politician, and judge. He served as the state secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection from the mid-930s to early 1940s, and later as president of the People's Court until 1945. As a jurist, he was best known for influencing the Nazification of Germany's legal system. Born in Celle, Lower Saxony, to an engineer cum teacher, Freisler grew up alongside a younger brother. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 forced him to abandon his law education and take the role of an officer cadet in the German Imperial Army. By 1915, Freisler was a lieutenant and was taken a prisoner of war by Russian forces the same year. He returned to Germany in 1919 and completed his law studies at the prestigious University of Jena, eventually qualifying as a Doctor of Law. A well-regarded speaker, Freisler rose quickly through the ranks and was subsequently appointed to head the Ministry of Justice. He became infamous for his hostile attitude and humiliation of defendants. He also used to give frequent death sentences. In February 1945, Freisler died in the courtroom in Berlin during an allied bomb attack, at the age of 51.