A German civil court last night acquitted Col. Oswald Schaeffer, former chief of the Gestapo in Munich of charges of crimes against humanity. Also cleared with Col. Schaeffer was his assistant, Dr. Richard Lebkuechner. Both were released immediately.
The validity of the Allied occupation statute providing for the punishment of persons guilty of crimes against humanity is currently being challenged by German attorneys for four Nazis convicted on this charge. The defense has carried the case to the highest German court in the British zone, arguing that the occupation status is invalid since the appearance of the West German Constitution. The case has aroused great interest in this country.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
