Erna Scheffler facts for kids

Erna Scheffler was a very important German judge. She was born Erna Friedenthal on September 21, 1893, in Wroclaw, which was then part of Germany. She passed away on May 22, 1983, in London. Erna Scheffler is famous for being the first woman judge in Germany's highest court, the Federal Constitutional Court.

Early Life and Education

Erna Scheffler was born Erna Friedenthal in Breslau. She went to girls' schools in Legnica and Wroclaw. In 1911, she finished high school in Racibórz. She first studied medicine at Heidelberg University. Later, she changed her mind and studied law in Wroclaw, Munich, and Berlin.

In December 1914, she earned her doctorate degree in law from Wroclaw. At that time, women were not allowed to take the official state legal exams. So, Erna first worked in social welfare. Then, she became an assistant at a law office.

Career Challenges and Progress

In 1916, Erna got married for the first time. She lived in Belgium until 1918. Her husband worked as a lawyer there during World War I. Erna also worked as an auxiliary officer. After the war, she worked for the Association of German Architects. She also worked at different law firms.

In 1921, a new law allowed women to take the German law exams. Erna Scheffler became a legal clerk in 1922. By 1925, she became a full lawyer. From 1925 to 1928, she worked as a lawyer in Berlin's district courts. By 1932, she was a permanent relief worker at the Berlin-Mitte district court.

Life During Nazi Germany

In November 1933, Erna Scheffler faced serious problems. The Nazi government said she was "non-Aryan." This meant she was not allowed to work. Her employment ban was set back to March 1, 1933. She received only a very small pension.

In 1934, her second marriage was forbidden by the Nazis. This was because of her Jewish heritage. Even so, she and her husband, George Scheffler, lived almost as a married couple. During these difficult years, she worked as an accountant for a friend's business. She also helped distribute food ration cards. From January 1945 until the end of World War II, she had to hide. She stayed in a small garden house outside Berlin to stay safe.

Return to Law and High Court Appointment

Right after World War II ended, Erna married George Scheffler. In May 1945, she returned to her legal work. She first became a Regional Councillor. Later, she was the Regional Director of the Regional Court of Berlin.

In 1949, after a currency reform, she became a Councillor. This was at the Administrative Court of Düsseldorf. In 1950, she gave a speech about equality between men and women. This speech led to her being recommended as a Federal Judge.

On September 7, 1951, Erna Scheffler was appointed as a judge. She became the only woman in the German Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. This is Germany's highest court. She served as a judge there until 1963. After that, she worked as an expert for the Interior Committee of the German Bundestag.

Erna Scheffler passed away on May 22, 1983. She was at her daughter's home in London.

Important Legal Ideas

Erna Scheffler's writings and opinions were very important. They especially focused on family and gender equality. She argued for equal rights for men and women within families. This was based on important parts of the German constitution. Her ideas are still used and quoted today.

She helped end old laws that treated women unfairly. For example, she helped remove the father's absolute power in family law. She also worked to stop discrimination against women in farming laws. Her decisions also brought more equality in social security laws.

Even after she retired, Erna Scheffler continued her work. She was a member of important legal groups. She also joined many international groups that worked for women's rights and gender equality.