This is a new and annotated edition of "Die Auslieferung der Verbrecher und das Asylrecht" (The Extradition of Criminals and the Right to Asylum) published in 1881 by Franz von Holtzendorff (1829-1889). It includes: * A comprehensive introduction on the author, historical background, book, and edition. * Extensive notes with explanations for uncommon and obsolete words as well as persons and historical background. Following the assassination of Czar Alexander II in 1881, Russia and Germany tried to pressure other states, especially Switzerland, into extraditing political refugees. Against this backdrop, Franz von Holtzendorff, one of the leading legal scholars in Germany, reviews the history and contemporary status of the right to asylum as well as the conditions for legitimate extraditions. He concludes that states should not extradite political offenders, but have a shared interest in extraditing common criminals under certain circumstances. Franz von Holtzendorff views the Belgian legislation as a model for asylum laws because it provides strong legal protections for political refugees that are subject to judicial review. All texts are in German.