Spiegel Affair

During the so-called Spiegel affair of 1962 the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel was accused of high treason after having published an article about the weak points of the Western defensive alliance. The critical reactions by the majority of the media concerning the proceeding of the government against the magazine were taken as a symbol of the redemocratization of the German media after World War II. Never before or afterwards has the German press been called a fourth power more often.

In the context of the criminal charges against Spiegel the editors' offices were searched in the night. This house search remained questionable because according to German law, this type of search is only allowed if there is either an imminent danger or if it ...