Socialism and legal history. The histories and historians of law in socialist East Central Europe

Abstract

Socialism and Legal History. The Histories and Historians of Law in Socialist East Central Europe, edited by Ville Erkkilä and Hans-Peter Haferkamp, serves as a legal map of East Central Europe’s jurisprudence, instrumental in navigating the transnational experience of socialism. The volume captures the countries’ struggles, showcasing the initial influence of the so-called Western legal tradition before Soviet annexation or occupation. Geographically, it restricts itself to areas covered by the German Civil Code prior to Soviet jurisdiction after World War II, namely East Germany, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Hungary. For this reason, Lithuania, despite being a Baltic state, is excluded from the volume.