Hilde Benjamin

Hilde Benjamin (née Lange; 5 February 1902 – 18 April 1989) was an East German judge who served as the Minister of Justice of the German Democratic Republic from 1953 to 1967. Benjamin was a professional lawyer and member of the Communist Party of Germany before holding a number of high-ranking posts in the Socialist Unity Party (SED) and the East German government. Benjamin was appointed Vice President of the Supreme Court of the German Democratic Republic where her interpretation of the 1949 Constitution of East Germany helped the SED to prosecute dissident activity and developed a reputation as a hanging judge. Benjamin was appointed Justice Minister after the Uprising of 1953 and was responsible for the politically motivated prosecutions, including those of Erna Dorn and Ernst Jennrich. Benjamin's career declined in the 1960s and Walter Ulbricht forced her to resign in 1967. In his 1994 inauguration speech, German President Roman Herzog cited Benjamin as a symbol of totalitarianism and injustice, and called both her name and legacy incompatible with the German Constitution and with the rule of law.