Incendie du Reichstag: peine de mort nazie annulée contre l'incendiaire présumé

Marinus van der Lubbe lors de son procès

La justice allemande a annulé jeudi 10 janvier 2008 la peine de mort prononcée en 1933 contre le communiste néerlandais Marinus van der Lubbe, accusé d'avoir allumé l'incendie du Reichstag, qui a servi de prétexte à Hitler pour établir sa dictature.

L'annulation de la sentence par le parquet général allemand, près de 75 ans après cet événement clé de l'entre-deux-guerres et 74 ans jour pour jour après son exécution, repose sur une loi de 1998, qui vise à annuler les jugements iniques prononcés sous le régime national-socialiste.

Le verdict contre van der Lubbe reposait sur des «prescriptions injustes spécifiquement national-socialistes», a relevé le parquet.

Van der Lubbe a été condamné le 23 décembre 1933 à la peine capitale pour «haute trahison» et pour avoir mis le feu au parlement allemand.

Il a été exécuté le 10 janvier 1934.

Plusieurs thèses se sont affrontées sur cet incendie du 28 février 1933, qui a permis au régime nazi, peu après la désignation d'Adolf Hitler comme chancelier à la suite d'élections, de suspendre les libertés et d'engager une répression féroce contre la gauche en Allemagne.

Le Reichstag en feu

Selon nombre d'historiens, Marinus van der Lubbe, personnalité au psychisme fragile, a effectivement incendié seul le Reichstag, sans être manipulé par les nazis.

Il aurait déclaré après son arrestation avoir agi pour provoquer un soulèvement d'extrême gauche contre les nazis.

Pour d'autres historiens, ce sont les nazis qui l'auraient peut-être manipulé à son insu.

La thèse du complot nazi a été celle notamment de la propagande du Komintern. Et le régime nazi a profité à fond de l'effet produit par l'incendie pour asseoir sa dictature.

Source : La peine de mort dans le monde

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