Karl Larenz Explained

Karl Larenz (23 April 1903, Wesel − 24 January 1993, Olching) was a German jurist and philosopher of law. He is known for his influential contributions to German civil law, as well as for being one of the leading Nazi legal theorists in the domain of civil law.[1]

Biography

After a childhood in Posen, and studies in Berlin and elsewhere, Larenz obtained a doctorate in law in 1926 with a dissertation on Hegel, and a habilitation in 1929. From 1933 on, he taught law at the University of Kiel.[2] In essays such as Rechtsperson und subjektives Recht[3] (1935), he sought to legitimize the racist ideology of the Nazi regime with high-minded Hegelian rhetoric.[4] In 1937, he joined the Nazi Party, and participated in several of its academic endeavours.[5]

After World War II, Larenz was forbidden to teach until 1949 due to his involvement with the regime. Subsequently, he taught law in Kiel and since 1960 at the University of Munich. He wrote influential textbooks on civil law (including Lehrbuch des Schuldrechts, 1953), as well on legal methodology (Methodenlehre der Rechtswissenschaft, 1960), which remained in print until the 21st century.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Klee, Ernst. Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich: wer war was vor und nach 1945. 2005. Fischer Taschenbuch. 3-596-16048-0. updated. Frankfurt am Main. 358. 70913054.
  2. Book: Stolleis, Michael. Juristen: ein biographisches Lexikon von der Antike bis zum 20. Jahrhundert. 2001. Beck. 3-406-45957-9. Stolleis. Michael. München. 379. Karl Larenz. 49950364.
  3. Karl Larenz: Rechtsperson und Subjektives Recht – zur Wandlung der Rechtsgrundbegriffe, in: Georg Dahm, Ernst Rudolf Huber, Karl Larenz, Karl Michaelis, Friedrich Schaffstein, Wolfgang Siebert (eds.): Grundfragen der neuen Rechtswissenschaft. Junker und Dünnhaupt Verlag, Berlin 1935, p. 241
  4. Book: Hüpers, Bernd. Karl Larenz - Methodenlehre und Philosophie des Rechts in Geschichte und Gegenwart. 2016. 978-3-8305-3637-6. 2nd. Berlin. 946547360.
  5. Leaman. George R.. Contextual misreadings: the US reception of Heidegger's political thought. University of Massachusetts Amherst. 1991. Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 110. 10.7275/49hz-f624 .