La justice ouest-allemande face aux médias (1945-1963)

The history of the West German justice system after 1945 is not just about the traces of the National Socialist past. Studying the history of the relationship between the judiciary and the media reveals the complex process of an institution's adaptation to democracy and post-war changes. Based on an original study of the work of the judicial press offices and the day-to-day relations between judges and journalists at different levels, the analysis shows how the judicial stakeholders reacted to the media's demands to access information and to the rise of radio and then television. Avoiding any monolithic vision, this cultural history of the West German justice system between 1945 and 1963 reveals a plurality of discourses and practices and a relationship with the media that oscillated between open conflict and peaceful coexistence, thus shedding new light on the democracy-building process during this period.