Ludwig Martin
- April 25, 1909
- March 31, 2010
- 100 years
About Ludwig Martin
Ludwig Martin, 100, German lawyer, Attorney General of Germany (1963–1974).
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Full Biography
|Markus Ludwig Martin (25 April 1909 – 31 March 2010) was a German lawyer. He served as Attorney General of Germany from 7 April 1963 until 30 April 1974.
Early life and education
Born in Waltenhofen as the son of a dairy worker, Martin was able to take his Abitur thanks to a teacher, despite his father's opposition. He subsequently went on to study law and economics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. From 1933 to 1934, he additionally studied philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Martin earned his first and second Staatsexamen in 1932 and 1937 and joined the Bavarian judiciary.
Career
In 1939, Martin was appointed an investigating judge, later a criminal judge and a scientific associate at the Reichsanwaltschaft. In October 1939, he was appointed district attorney in Nuremberg and Fürth, and in February 1940 in Leipzig. However, as he was conscripted into military service from 1939 to 1945, he never actually worked as a district attorney.
In 1946, Martin was appointed a judge in Sonthofen, and in 1950, he was employed in the Federal Ministry of Justice. In 1951, he was appointed Oberstaatsanwalt in the Generalbundesanwaltschaft, and in June 1952, he was appointed Federal Attorney (Bundesanwalt). He was appointed a federal judge in 1953, serving for ten years until 1963, mostly as a criminal judge at the Federal Court of Justice of Germany.
In 1963, Martin was appointed Attorney General of Germany. During his term of service, the Spiegel scandal and the Guillaume Affair took place.
Retirement
He retired in 1974 and was succeeded by Siegfried Buback, who was murdered in 1977 by left-wing terrorists.
Martin lived for the rest of his life in Karlsruhe, where he celebrated his 100th birthday in 2009.
Honours
Martin was president and honorary president of the German section of the International Commission of Jurists and honorary president of the German-Italian Lawyer's Association. He was also honorary president of the International Society for Human Rights (IGFM). Martin advocated capital punishment. As the IGFM's president of the board of trustees, the Chilean government of Augusto Pinochet considered him a "reliable friend". In 1987, Martin together with board member Lothar Bossle, warned the Chilean authorities that the relations between West Germany and Chile might deteriorate if the crimes in Colonia Dignidad became known. He was a devout Catholic and a conservative, and a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and the pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great. He also received the Great Cross of Merit with star.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Martin
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Ludwig Martin's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the date of birth of Markus Ludwig Martin?
- A.25 April 1909correct
- B.31 March 1910
- C.15 May 1909
- D.20 April 1912
Markus Ludwig Martin was born on 25 April 1909.
Source: biographical introduction
2.Where was Markus Ludwig Martin born?
- A.Waltenhofencorrect
- B.Nuremberg
- C.Karlsruhe
- D.Munich
Markus Ludwig Martin was born in the town of Waltenhofen.
Source: early life and education
3.Which university did Markus Ludwig Martin attend to study philosophy?
- A.University of Heidelberg
- B.Pontifical Gregorian Universitycorrect
- C.University of Berlin
- D.Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Markus Ludwig Martin studied philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Source: early life and education
4.When did Markus Ludwig Martin earn his first Staatsexamen?
- A.1939
- B.1932correct
- C.1933
- D.1937
Markus Ludwig Martin earned his first Staatsexamen in 1932.
Source: early life and education
5.What position was Markus Ludwig Martin appointed to in 1939?
- A.Attorney General
- B.Investigating judgecorrect
- C.Oberstaatsanwalt
- D.Federal Judge
In 1939, Markus Ludwig Martin was appointed as an investigating judge.
Source: career section
6.Why did Markus Ludwig Martin never serve as a district attorney in Nuremberg or Fürth?
- A.He was appointed to a different ministry
- B.He failed the required legal examination
- C.He declined the position
- D.He was conscripted into military servicecorrect
Although appointed as a district attorney in 1939, Markus Ludwig Martin was conscripted into military service from 1939 to 1945.
Source: career section
7.In what year was Markus Ludwig Martin appointed Federal Attorney?
- A.1950
- B.1953
- C.1952correct
- D.1951
Markus Ludwig Martin was appointed Federal Attorney in June 1952.
Source: career section
8.During his term as Attorney General of Germany, which affair took place?
- A.The Barschel affair
- B.The Watergate scandal
- C.The Spiegel scandalcorrect
- D.The Flick affair
The Spiegel scandal and the Guillaume Affair occurred during the term of Markus Ludwig Martin as Attorney General.
Source: career section
9.Who succeeded Markus Ludwig Martin as Attorney General upon his retirement in 1974?
- A.Augusto Pinochet
- B.Lothar Bossle
- C.Siegfried Bubackcorrect
- D.Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Siegfried Buback succeeded Markus Ludwig Martin when he retired in 1974.
Source: retirement section
10.In which city did Markus Ludwig Martin live for the remainder of his life after retirement?
- A.Munich
- B.Nuremberg
- C.Waltenhofen
- D.Karlsruhecorrect
After retiring in 1974, Markus Ludwig Martin lived in Karlsruhe.
Source: retirement section
11.What milestone did Markus Ludwig Martin celebrate in 2009?
- A.His 100th birthdaycorrect
- B.His wedding anniversary
- C.His 90th birthday
- D.50 years of legal service
Markus Ludwig Martin celebrated his 100th birthday in 2009.
Source: retirement section
12.Which of the following organizations did Markus Ludwig Martin serve as honorary president?
- A.International Society for Human Rightscorrect
- B.European Court of Justice
- C.German Bar Association
- D.United Nations Legal Committee
Markus Ludwig Martin served as honorary president of the International Society for Human Rights.
Source: honours section
13.What stance did Markus Ludwig Martin take regarding capital punishment?
- A.He advocated itcorrect
- B.He sought to limit it to treason
- C.He was a staunch opponent
- D.He remained neutral
Throughout his career, Markus Ludwig Martin advocated capital punishment.
Source: honours section
14.With whom did Markus Ludwig Martin warn Chilean authorities about the Colonia Dignidad in 1987?
- A.Lothar Bosslecorrect
- B.The President of the International Commission of Jurists
- C.Siegfried Buback
- D.Augusto Pinochet
Markus Ludwig Martin and board member Lothar Bossle warned Chile about the diplomatic consequences of Colonia Dignidad.
Source: honours section
15.Which religious order was Markus Ludwig Martin a member of?
- A.Order of Malta
- B.Teutonic Order
- C.Knights Templar
- D.Order of the Holy Sepulchrecorrect
Markus Ludwig Martin was a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
Source: honours section
16.What was the date of death of Markus Ludwig Martin?
- A.1 April 2009
- B.30 April 1974
- C.31 March 2010correct
- D.25 April 2010
Markus Ludwig Martin died on 31 March 2010.
Source: biographical introduction
People who died on March 31
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