Saddam vs. Honecker: The Difference between the Iraqi and the German Legal System

The hanging of Saddam Hussein met with widespread disapproval in the German media. The buzzwords were "cruel" (grausam) and "inhumane" (inhuman).

It is interesting to ponder what fate Saddam might have endured in the hands of contemporary German judges and/or politicians.

Most likely, Saddam would have gotten a gentle slap on the wrist. At best.

As was the case for another 20th century madman: Erich Honecker, the former dictator of communist East Germany. Admittedly, in comparison to Saddam, Honecker's crimes were not quite as large in magnitude, but he was responsible for several hundred deaths of those who tried to escape East Germany. Also, of course, he was running a police state that made life miserable for millions. Saddam probably viewed Honecker as an equal.

In 1993, Erich Honecker's trial found a quick and surprising end, shortly after it had started. Honecker was diagnosed with cancer:

And then suddenly he was scot-free, bundled into an official limousine and speeded to the airport. A day later he was in Chile, in the bosom of his exiled family. The Berlin court had heard the appeal to end the "cruelty" of the trial of Erich Honecker and made its favorable decision hurriedly, precluding any appeal to a higher court; the villain made a quick getaway.

How advantegeous for Honecker! Saddam would have killed for this outcome...

As it turned out, Honecker had another year and a half to live happily in the favorable climate of Chile, together with his wife Margot (which probably was the only drawback for him).

In contemporary Iraq, though, Honecker would have met with a different fate. For Davids Medienkritik, Alexander Leonard has visualized the most likely consequence:

The cruel and inhume fate of Erich Honecker
if he had fallen into the hands of Iraqi judges.

I know of a few East Germans who would have loved to see him hanged, rather than living the relaxed life of a retiree in Chile. For them, this image might be at least a small consolation...

Comments

[FranzisM]

I think the main reason why Honecker got a different treatment than Ceaucescu was because he was not feared as much. The bloody images of the corpse of the Romanian dictator served exactly that purpose, to compensate for strong fears that had accumualated over the time.

If Honecker was to be compared to a foreign dictator, the most probable candidate would be Ferdinand Marcos. There were rumours that his wife had a fetish for shoes too.

[Gunter]

Well this case is one of many and it is just like I pointed out: Once their ideological base is gone, many are happy to see them leave. No more need for additional punishment.
This proceeding isn´t uncommon in other countries either: Think of what happened to Napoleon once he was defeated.

[jwtkac]

if there's nothing to report on, just wait until something pops up. this entry is ridiculous... the photoshopped honecker in a noose? come on.

[George M]

I had no idea that Eric Honecker died in Chile. That’s pretty ironic, considering the German MSM’s preoccupation with Pinochet.. I wonder who got more negative obituaries in the German press,,,,Honecker or Pinochet?

Also, Chile’s Social Democrat Presidenta, Michelle Bachelet, fled to East Germany shortly after the coup against Allende. Her father was an Allende supporter within the military. She was educated in the East German system. I wonder if Bachelet’s family had anything to do with Honecker choosing Chile for exile?

[Classe_tumblr]

Honecker was accused of the indirect responsibility of 68 deaths.
How many people were (indirectly) killed by Nixon when Pinochet overthrown democratically elected Allende in Chile?
Who blamed Nixon for that? Any "reasonable" court?
And that was just one example.