Rechtsgüterlehre

Rechtsgüterlehre, literally “the theory of legal goods,” is a doctrinal concept in German criminal law. It analyzes offenses by identifying the legal goods (Rechtsgüter) that the criminal code aims to protect. The central idea is that every criminal norm protects one or more legally protected interests, such as life and bodily integrity, health, freedom, property, personal rights and honor, or family and privacy. In this view, a criminal act is understood as an intrusion on a protected good, and the seriousness of sanctions is often linked to the importance of the protected interest involved and the degree of infringement.

The Rechtsgüterlehre provides a framework for classifying offenses according to the primary legal good affected and for interpreting statutes whose wording is broad or abstract. It also guides the handling of cases where different goods may compete, helping to determine which protected interest is most directly implicated and how conflicting interests should be weighed. The doctrine has historically played a prominent role in German criminal law since the late 19th and early 20th centuries and continues to influence judicial reasoning, scholarly writing, and statutory interpretation.

Critics argue that the concept can be vague or indeterminate when lists of protected goods are extensive or poorly defined, and that it may oversimplify complex conduct affecting multiple interests simultaneously. Nevertheless, the Rechtsgüterlehre remains a foundational reference in debates about the objectives of criminal law and the protective scope of legal norms, often in dialogue with related notions such as Schutzgut (protected good) and Schutzzweck (protective aim).