GHDI logo

Anti-Socialist Law (October 21, 1878)

page 3 of 6    print version    return to list previous document      next document


§ 8. The prohibition decree by the State Police Authority, as well as the establishment of a control is to be communicated in writing, indicating the reasons, to the society’s Executive Committee, in case one exists within domestic jurisdiction. Against such a decree the society’s Executive has the right to make an appeal (§ 26).

The appeal must be made within one week after receipt of the notice of the decree; the appeal is to be directed to the authority which issued the decree.

The appeal has no postponing effect.

§ 9. Meetings in which social-democratic, socialistic, or communistic endeavors which aim at the overthrow of the existing political or social order are manifested are to be dissolved.

Meetings for which the assumption is justified by the fact that they are intended to further the endeavors described in the first paragraph are to be prohibited.

Public festivities and processions shall be treated the same as meetings.

§ 10. Prohibition and dissolution are within the competence of the Police Authority.

Appeal is permitted only to the Supervising Authority.

§ 11. Publications in which social-democratic, socialistic, or communistic endeavors aimed at the overthrow of the existing political or social order are manifested in a manner calculated to endanger the public peace, and particularly the harmony among all classes of the population, are to be prohibited.

In the case of periodical publications, the prohibition may extend to further issues as soon as a single issue has been prohibited on the basis of this law.

§ 12. The prohibition lies within the competence of the State Police Authority, and, in the case of periodical publications appearing within the Reich, under the competence of the State Police Authority of the District [Bezirk] in which the publication appears. The prohibition of the further distribution of periodical publications printed abroad lies within the competence of the Reichskanzler.

The prohibition is to be publicized in the manner described in § 6, par. 2, and is valid for the entire Bundesgebiet.

§ 13. The prohibition of publications by the State Police Authority is to be made known in writing, with the reasons of the same, to the publisher or editor, and in the case of non-periodic publications, to the author of the same, if these persons are within the Reich.

The publisher, editor or author has the right of appeal against the order (§ 26).

The appeal must be submitted to the authority which issued the decree within a week after receipt of notification.

The appeal has no postponing effect.

first page < previous   |   next > last page