["In the Third Reich there must be no cruelty to animals anymore"--the development of the Reich's Animal Welfare Law from 1933].

Abstract

In the German Reich cruelty to animals was punishable over decades only under anthropozentrical points of view, animal experiments and slaughter without stunning were also settled insufficient. Then at the end of the republic of Weimar initiated by the national socialists slaughter without stunning was forbidden. After the takeover by the national socialists the ban was immediately extended to the hole country, the criminal punishment of cruelty to animals was increased and finally the Reichstierschutzgesetz was enacted--influenced by an ethical way of protection of animals. The societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals were aligned and offences against the law were punished with hard sentences. Protection of animals was particularly promoted by the national socialists on propagandistic purposes and served for the compensation of an increasing degeneration of social values.