Over the course of its history, the German Empire increasingly withheld basic rights—such as joining the army, holding public office, and even voting—as a form of legal punishment. Dishonored offenders were often stigmatized in both formal and informal ways, as their convictions shaped how they were treated in prisons, their position in the labor market, and their access to rehabilitative resources.  With a focus on Imperial Germany’s criminal policies and their afterlives in the Weimar era, Citizens into Dishonored Felons demonstrates how criminal punishment was never solely a disciplinary measure, but that it reflected a national moral compass that authorities used to dictate the rights to citizenship, honor and trust.

• Focus: Explores how criminal punishment in the German Empire evolved to not only serve as a legal penalty but also to serve as a tool for withholding basic rights such as military service, holding public office, and voting.
• Punishment as Legal and Social Stigma:
  • Dishonored offenders were stigmatized in both formal (e.g., legal status) and informal (e.g., social interactions) ways.
  • Their criminal convictions directly impacted their treatment in prisons, their position in the labor market, and their access to rehabilitative resources.

• Connection to the Weimar Era:
  • The book also explores the afterlives of these policies during the Weimar Republic, shedding light on how the legacies of Imperial Germany’s criminal justice system influenced the political and social landscape in the early 20th century.
• Moral Compass of Authorities: Investigates the role of national morality in shaping legal punishments and their societal implications, showing how criminal convictions influenced more than just legal status but also one’s social identity and membership in the community.