Puchta, Georg Friedrich

Born Aug. 31, 1798, in Cadolzburg; died Jan. 8, 1846, in Berlin. German jurist; follower of F. Savigny and representative of the historical school of law.

Puchta taught law at various German universities. Until the last days of his life, he was a professor at the University of Berlin, a state councillor, and a member of a commission on the reform of the Prussian law code.

Puchta’s works were devoted to the history of Roman law, as well as to civil and common law. His views reflected the conservative position of the German bourgeoisie during the first half of the 19th century. Puchta considered the state and law as emanations of a mystical “national spirit” and believed that the chief task of jurists was to make the law conform to the “development of the people.” He warned against any “sudden,” that is, revolutionary, transformation of the feudal legal system in Germany.