New book

Helmut Wlasak: Mr. Council with a sharp pen

In "Freispruch", Helmut Wlasak presents the most exciting trials of his long career in the justice system.(Bild: Baumgartner)

The well-known Graz judge Helmut Wlasak has been in "retirement" for a good two years. He has now published his third book with unique insights into everyday court life. 

After 35 years in the judiciary and 7774 trials, you might think that a criminal judge has had enough of crime and is devoting himself to the more pleasant side of life in retirement. But Helmut Wlasak, probably the best-known judge in Styria, has no intention of enjoying a quiet retirement, even a good two years after his last day at the Graz Regional Criminal Court. The restless jurist continues to tour the country with his lectures, is involved in the Vinzenzgemeinschaft - and is a successful author.

After "In allen Punkten" and "Nicht schuldig", Wlasak recently published his third book. In "Freispruch", he once again draws on his vast wealth of experience from thousands of trials - and above all the human fates behind them. Once again, it is about real cases, from "pathetic" and unintentionally funny petty criminals to ice-cold murderers and international drug gangs, which would provide enough material for Netflix series.

"The real motive is not so easy to find"
"I think the writing is really nothing more than a processing of what I have experienced," says Wlasak to "Krone". The fact that the descriptions in his books are very detailed, human and vivid is thanks to Wlasak's meticulous documentation throughout his career. "I've always collected everything and made notes, it looks terrible in my office."

The cases in Wlasak's book are far more than sober trial transcripts. As in his work as a judge, he always probes deeper and explores the "why". "The real motive is not so easy to find. And when you get right down to it, the justice system doesn't always look that closely either."

Children's books instead of crime novels
Like the visitors to his lectures, Wlasak also wants to shake up his readers a little: "It should also have an effect, as many people don't know what goes on in court and what a criminal judge actually does," says the grandfather of three, who doesn't read crime novels or true crime books himself. "At the moment, I'm mainly reading what my grandchildren are reading."

His daily work as a judge "doesn't really bother him at all". But: "When I hear certain things in the media, for example about real estate superwuzzis and organized crime squared, I sometimes think to myself that I'd like to try that."

On January 30, 2025 at 7.30 pm, Helmut Wlasak will read from his new book "Freispruch" at the Moser bookstore in Graz.