The activity of Austrian military tribunals in the area of Lubelszczyzna in the years 1915–1918

Abstract

One of the most crucial administrational organs on areas under the occupation of Austria became so called c. and k. (imperial-royal) peripheral headquarters, qualified as district headquarters since 17 April, 1917. To each one of them court-martials (Militärgericht) were subordinated, delivering verdicts in cases concerning: criminal offences committed not only by servicemen but also by civilians, people charged with crimes against the Danube monarchy, c. and k. of the army, and offences with the usage of gun described in the War Codex, being in usage in occupational conditions. Rules of Penalty Law qualified as many as eight offences, which were punished with the highest possible sentence – death. The paper deals with the jurisdiction of the above-mentioned courts on the area of Lubelszczyzna. The issue has never before been raised in any scientific research.