RE:NRC Panel, Law Enforcement questions

[danisch@ira.uka.de (Hadmut Danisch)]

Hello Jim,

I apologize that I didn't answer immediately. I have subscribed to
several mailing lists and sometimes get some hundred mails a day.
I don't have the time to read everything and therefore I have to
select. I didn't read this thread, but I found it in my archives.

> I wonder, and perhaps my kind friend Hadmut can help me here, if there is
> an English translation of any and all Nazi-era German laws/regs regarding 
> cryptography. As I [dimly] recall, Enigma was born as a private enterprise
> and the patent was only later taken over by government and classified after
> it was offered for sale to businesses (without much luck). These laws, if
> they exist, might make for interesting reading in side-by-side comparison 
> with either Sen. Grassley's latest proposals, or with anything regarding 
> cryptography coming from our paranoid FBI director.


I fear I have to disappoint you. :-(

First of all I don't know of any english translation of such laws.
The only english translation of law I know about is the translation of our
current basic law. It might be easier to find english translations
in english or american libraries than in german libraries.

Second, I don't know whether they had a certain law about cryptography.
AFAIK Enigma was a commercial product first and was taken over by the
government. But I don't know they way they did.

Third, there was no need to have laws. I don't want to restart the
discussion, but the Nazis didn't understand laws as so important. I have
read a book about their justice some time ago. The 'idea' and the
'public feeling' was seen as more important than laws. 


But perhaps another telecommunication law may be interesting. It was
forbidden to receive foreign radio senders. If they came into the
house and the radio was tuned to foreing frequencies, you got into
serious trouble. I just don't know where to find the text of the law.

regards
Hadmut