German Jewish judge and prosecutor Fritz Bauer (1903-1968) played a key
role in the arrest of Adolf Eichmann and the initiation of the Frankfurt
Auschwitz trials. Author Ronen Steinke tells this remarkable story while
sensitively exploring the many contributions Bauer made to the postwar
German justice system. As it sheds light on Bauer's Jewish identity and
the role it played in these trials and his later career, Steinke's deft
narrative contributes to the larger story of Jewishness in postwar
Germany. Examining latent antisemitism during this period as well as
Jewish responses to renewed German cultural identity and politics,
Steinke also explores Bauer's personal and family life and private
struggles, including his participation in debates against the
criminalization of homosexuality--a fact that only came to light after
his death in 1968. This new biography reveals how one individual's
determination, religion, and dedication to the rule of law formed an
important foundation for German post war society.