At the same time, I watched "The Reader" and "The Wave" two films related to fascism. The fascist thing has been circling in my mind. It seems that I figured it out recently, but Judge Haywood’s decision was not based on the law but justice.
As a public official of the country, judges make judgments in accordance with the laws enacted by the country. Is this illegal? This is more than illegal, it is simply the only legal practice. What if you are facing a draconian law? Look at the present, whether it is Western developed countries or my country, is there no draconian law? It's just that the amount and the degree of "evil" are different. The judge is the executor of the law and has no power to explain the good and evil of the law. Even the institutions that make laws have no power to interpret the good and evil of the law. In fact, the law has no good and no evil at all. When laws are being formulated, all sectors of society can stand on their own ground and strive to exert influence on future laws, hoping to make them beneficial to them, whether it is economic, political, ethical, scientific, human, or custom. It’s okay to talk, appeal, and pressure from the perspectives of social, environmental, and so on. However, once the law is enacted, whether you approve it or not, it must be unconditionally followed and implemented. To avoid the side effects of the law, it is necessary to rely on justice and wisdom at the time of formulation and proper legal amendment procedures, rather than relying on the superficial law. The law is the law.
There is no legal basis for conviction of Janning (the large amount of evidence and the plot of the debate in the film prove this) has always troubled Judge Haywood. In the end, Judge Haywood sentenced Janning to life imprisonment in the name of justice. From his relieved smile before leaving Germany, it can be seen that he is very satisfied with his sentence, even though the old judge with a perfect resume chose to violate the law in his last sentence. In a confusing era, Janning made his own choice, and Judge Haywood also made his own choice. The merits and demerits are left to future generations to comment on. Is this kind of peace and self-confidence the reason why Judge Haywood breaks the law and enjoys it?
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