Geiger, Theodor (1891–1952)

Hardly known in the English-speaking world, Theodor Geiger is, at least in Germany, Italy, and Spain, one of the classic figures of sociology of law.

He shares the experience of exile with some of the other classic writers, and thereby the look at national law “from the outside.”

Born in Munich, Geiger studied law but never went on to practice it. Instead, he started to work in the field of adult education. He was a professor of sociology at the Technical University of Braunschweig (1928–1933) until he was dismissed by the Nazi government in 1933 and emigrated to Denmark. In 1938, he again became a professor of sociology, this time at Aarhus University. When the Danish started to appease Hitler, Geiger had to flee to Sweden, which ...