German Minister Admits Guilt of Appointing Nazi As Chief Prosecutor

The West German Minister of Justice, Dr. Wolfgang Stammberger, has submitted his resignation to Chancellor Konrad Adenauer because of the former’s responsibility in the appointment of Wolfgang Fraenkel, who was dismissed earlier this month from his post as Federal Chief Prosecutor after disclosure of Fraenkel’s participation in Nazi court judgments, it was reported here today. Dr. Stammberger’s resignation, however, was not accepted by the Cabinet.

A special Cabinet committee, meanwhile, has been established by the West German Government to investigate East German charges about the alleged past of judges, prosecutors and police officials now serving in the Federal Republic. The formation of the committee was the result of repercussions following the “compulsory retirement” of Fraenkel, whose participation in Nazi legal proceedings was originally disclosed by the East German Government.

Fraenkel was forced to retire after investigators confirmed East German charges that he once held a position in the Nazi prosecutor’s office in Leipzig in which he was involved in cases that resulted in the imposition of death sentences for relatively minor offenses. The Justice Ministry started disciplinary proceedings against Fraenkel on the insistence of Federal President Heinrich Luebke.

The Cabinet committee, which consists of the state secretaries of the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice and All-German affairs, is expected to consider whether to accept an invitation by the East German authorities to send officials to East Berlin to check on documents that the Communists said prove the Nazi past of West German officials. The committee is expected to submit its first report in the near future.