Abortion Law Guide

Jena: Verlag von Gustav Fischer, 1907. 245 by 170mm (9¾ by 6¾ inches). Original orange paper wrappers; [6], 34 pp. In German.

Generally very good; wrappers starting to fray. Top edge un-opened.

Gustav Radbruch (1878–1949) was Minister of Justice of Germany during the early Weimar period and is regarded as one of the most influential legal philosophers of the 20th century. As Minister of Justice he implemented laws giving women access to the justice system. After the National Socialists seized power in 1933, Radbruch was subject to an employment ban and in the mid-1930’s he lived in England.

This is an early publication of Radbruch’s, which appeared prior to his Magnus Opus on legal theory. From the introduction [“It is only with hesitation that I offer this work to the public… The intended readers are primarily medical professionals and not attorneys…”].

The booklet is a guide to doctors grappling with legal (and moral) questions of when they can provide abortions. At the time, abortions in Germany were only legal in a very narrow set of circumstances. Interestingly, there is a section comparing abortion laws around the world — including the state of the law in the United States and specifically in New York state. Another section addresses the moral objections to abortion raised by the catholic church.