Strafgesetzbuch

The Strafgesetzbuch, abbreviated StGB, is the German penal code and the foundational text of German criminal law. Its origin traces to the Penal Code of the German Empire, enacted on May 15, 1871 and effective from January 1, 1872, itself built on the 1870 code of the North German Confederation. The code has been amended repeatedly over its history to reflect changing values and constitutional requirements, and after the defeat of Nazi Germany it gained provisions addressing preparation for war, unconstitutional organizations, hate speech and the use of banned symbols. It is divided into a General Part covering matters such as capacity for guilt, forms of perpetration, defenses, punishments and statutory limitation, and a Special Part enumerating specific offenses including crimes against the democratic order, public order, persons and property, and it continues to be amended today to address issues such as cybercrime. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/