Adolf Arndt (March 12, 1904 – February 13, 1974) was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and former member of the German Bundestag.[1]
Born in Königsberg as the son of the Law professor Gustav Adolf Arndt, he moved to Berlin very early with his family. There, he passed his Abitur at the Gymnasium Philippinum Marburg. Then, Arndt studied Law, Economics and Philosophy at the University of Berlin and the University of Marburg. After passing his second examination and promotion in Marburg in 1927, he worked as a lawyer in the famous law firm of Prof. Dr. Max Alsberg. Since 1932, he worked as a judge, but retired in 1933, stating he did not want to join the Nazi Party. Thus, he joined the law firm of in Berlin, helping (among others) Wilhelm Leuschner and Theodor Leipart. After being classified as half Jewish, Arndt was forced to compulsory labour in the Organisation Todt.
In August 1945, Arndt was approved as a lawyer and notary in Marburg. In November 1945, he became Ministerialrat (Head of Division) of Criminal law at the Ministry of Justice of Hesse.
Arndt was married to Ruth Arndt (1901–1989), born Helbing. His son is , member of the Bundestag from 1968–72 and 1974–76.
Arndt died in Kassel. His estate is at the archive of social democracy of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Political career[]
Since 1945, Arndt was a member of the SPD. In the 1950s, he was member of the management and participated in creating the Godesberg Program.
In 1948 and 1949, he was a member of the economic council of the Bizone, chairing the board for law, clerk law and "DM-Eröffnungsbilanz" (statement of the financial conditions for the Deutsche Mark). From 1949-69, Arndt was a member of the Bundestag for the SPD. From 1949-61, he served as corporate attorney and secretary of the SPD faction. In addition to that, he served in 1951/52 as deputy managing director of the Bundestag board for Law and Constitutional law as well as deputy managing director of the Bundestag board for reviewing the administration of the Bund (the so-called Platow-Ausschuss). From 1953-61, he chaired the research group "Rechtswesen" of the SPD faction.
Arndt is most famous for his speech in the debate about statute-barred prosecution of Nazi crimes, in which he states to morally feel guilty about taking part in those crimes.
In many cases, Arndt represented the SPD faction before the Bundesverfassungsgericht.
From 11 March 1963 to 31 March 1964 Arndt served as senator for science and arts in Berlin.
Writings[]
"Warum und wozu Wiedergutmachung?", in: Juristenzeitung, 1956
Die Persönlichkeit in der parlamentarischen Demokratie, Berlin, 1958
"Die Entmachtung des Bundestages", in: Die Neue Gesellschaft, 1959
"Die Nichtigkeit verfassungswidriger Gesetze", in: Die öffentliche Verwaltung
"Der Jurist im Parlament", in: Juristen-Jahrbuch 1960
Das nicht erfüllte Grundgesetz, Tübingen, 1960
"Das zeitgerechte Parlamentsgebäude", in: Die Neue Gesellschaft, 1962
"Gesetzesrecht und Richterrecht", in: Neue Juristische Wochenschrift, 1963
"Reform der Parlamentarischen Untersuchungsausschüsse", in: Deutsche Richterzeitung, 1964
"Opposition", in: Die Neue Sammlung, 1968
Literature about Arndt[]
Horst Ehmke, Carlo Schmid, Hans Scharoun (Ed.), Festschrift für Adolf Arndt zum 65. Geburtstag, Frankfurt am Main, 1969.
(Ed.): Adolf Arndt zum 90. Geburtstag – Dokumentation der Festakademie in der Katholischen Akademie Hamburg, Kath. Akademie Hamburg und Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 1995
Speaker:Heinrich Hellwege until 2 November 1949; until 21 December 1949; Hans Mühlenfeld until 15 March 1953; Hans-Joachim von Merkatz from 17 March 1953
Members:
Ahrens
Bahlburg (from 13 September 1951 Non-attached, from 24 January 1952 DP-Gast, from 10 September 1952 Non-attached)
Campe (from 23 January 1950, until 8 January 1952)
(from 22 March 1952)
(from 19 January 1950 Non-attached, from 28 March 1950 DRP-Gast, from 16 September 1950 Non-attached, from 29 April 1953 WAV)
Dorls (from 13 December 1950 WAV-Gast, from 17 January 1951 WAV, from 26 September 1951 Non-attached, am 23 October 1952 Mandatsaberkennung)
(from 7 September 1949 Nationale Rechte, from 5 October 1950 Non-attached (DRP), from 26 March 1952 DP-Gast, from 11 February 1953 Non-attached)
(from 29 February 1952)
(from 5 October 1950 FDP-Gast, from 20 December 1950 FDP)
(from 15 September 1949 Nationale Rechte, from 6 September 1950 Non-attached, from 13 December 1950 WAV-Gast, from 17 January 1951 WAV, from 26 September 1951 Non-attached, until 21 February 1952)
Thadden (from 15 September 1949 Nationale Rechte; 1950 DRP, from 20 April 1950 Non-attached)
Clausen (from 23 January 1952 FU-Gast, from 3 July 1953 Non-attached)
(CDU/CSU-Gast)
Freudenberg (from 5 December 1952 Non-attached)
(Non-attached, from 4 May 1950 WAV-Gast, from 13 October 1950 BHE/DG, from 21 March 1952 Non-attached, from 26 March 1952 DP/DPB-Gast, from 26 June 1952 Non-attached)
Berg (from 27 June 1955, from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
Blank (from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
Blücher (from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
Luchtenberg (from 18 September 1954, until 9 April 1956)
Manteuffel (from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
(until 14 May 1956)
Mende
Middelhauve (until 10 September 1954)
Neumayer (from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
(until 20 September 1955)
Preiß (from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
(from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
(from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
Scheel
(from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
Stammberger
Starke
(from 13 January 1954 Non-attached, from 6 February 1957 GB/BHE)
(from 15 May 1956)
(from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 23 June 1956 CDU/CSU)
(until 17 September 1954)
Wirths (until 16 June 1955)
DPS:
(from 4 January 1957, Guest of FDP-Fraktion)
(from 4 January 1957, from 8 January 1957 Guest of FDP-Fraktion)
(from 4 January 1957, Non-attached, from 8 January 1957 Guest of FDP-Fraktion)
Speaker: until 15 March 1955; 15 March 1955 till 26 April 1956; from 26 April 1956]]
Members:
(from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)
Czermak (from 14 July 1955 FDP)
Eckhardt (from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)
(until 13 October 1953)
Finck (from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)
(from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)
(from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 FDP, from 23 February 1956 Non-attached, from 15 March 1956 Demokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (DA), from 26 June 1956 FVP, from 14 March 1957 DP/FVP)
Kraft (from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)
(from 20 August 1954 CDU/CSU)
Oberländer (from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)
(from 15 October 1953, from 12 July 1955 Non-attached, from 14 July 1955 Group Kraft/Oberländer, from 15 July 1955 Guest of CDU/CSU-Fraktion, from 20 March 1956 CDU/CSU)