»In the Name of the Law«. Organisation and Functioning of the Polish (non-German) Judiciary in the General Government (German-Occupied Poland) in the Period of 1939 to 1945

No. 2023-12

In German-occupied Poland, within the General Government, the German authorities decided, as in most countries of occupied Europe, to retain pre-war courts for the local population. The article delves into the challenges associated with the organisation and functioning of one component of the two-tier judicial system – the Polish (non-German) courts. These courts were responsible for addressing matters regarding non-German individuals and entities. The Polish (non-German) judiciary was an element of the normative sphere and functioned under and within the limits of the law, primarily the law that was in force before the war. Its presence within the General Government was to ensure further legal and economic transactions, thereby enabling even more effective economic exploitation of these areas.