In 1947, the Thuringian Prime Minister Rudolf Paul (1893-1978) fled to the American occupation zone. Until then, he was regarded as a particularly prominent politician in the Soviet occupation zone due to his commitment to the rule of law, inter-zonal contacts, and the interests of his country. His actions provide an exemplary case study of the possibilities and limitations of German administrative actions in the early Soviet occupation zone. The book reconstructs Paul's political activities, his biographical background, his flight, and the aftermath in Hesse. A comprehensive edition section on CD-ROM and the publication of a document he wrote after his flight about his time in Thuringia complement the narrative.