Public Prosecutor General (Germany)

Public Prosecutor General of the Federal Republic of Germany
Der Generalbundesanwalt beim Bundesgerichtshof
Attorney General logo
Incumbent
Jens Rommel
SeatKarlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg
NominatorFederal Minister of Justice
AppointerPresident of Germany
Constituting instrumentGerichtsverfassungsgesetz (Jurisdiction Act)
Inaugural holderCarlo Wiechmann
Formation1950
Websitegeneralbundesanwalt.de

The Public Prosecutor General at the Federal Court of Justice (German: Generalbundesanwalt or Generalbundesanwältin beim Bundesgerichtshof [GBA], lit.'General Federal Attorney at the Federal Court of Justice') is the federal prosecutor of Germany, representing the federal government at the Bundesgerichtshof, the federal court of justice. The office of the Public Prosecutor General is located in Karlsruhe. Besides its role in appellate cases, the Public Prosecutor General has primary jurisdiction in cases of crimes against the state (in particular terrorism, espionage and treason), and offences under the Völkerstrafgesetzbuch (genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes). The Public Prosecutor General also represents Germany in certain civil and administrative cases.

The Federal Minister of Justice proposes the Public Prosecutor General with the approval of the Bundesrat to the President of Germany for appointment.[1] The Public Prosecutor General is considered a political official. He is supposed to share the criminal and security policy views and objectives of the respective acting federal government and can be recalled without outspoken reasons at any time. He is subject to the supervision of the Federal Minister of Justice.

In 1977, then-Public Prosecutor General Siegfried Buback was assassinated by an extremist left-wing group, the Red Army Faction.

  1. ^ "Courts Constitution Act (Gerichtsverfassungsgesetz – GVG)".