The Tagesschau yesterday (https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/maas-range-101.html) made it very clear that the Generalbundesanwalt is a "political public official" and as such (unlike judges, who are independent) subordinate to the minister of justice, and has to follow his directions. Maas refusal to do so, instead attacking the minister publicly for "meddling", is explanation enough for his dismissal.
It's also very questionable if Maas was indeed "just" enforcing laws, at least he was strangely selective in doing so (for some reason, he was very reluctant to enforce similar laws in the NSA-spy-affair). It's also very questionable of the accusations of treason against journalists only doing their job would have held up in court.
So the simple explanation is that the Generalbundesanwalt went too far, his superior had to act to avoid loosing face, and all this speculation about empty gestures, unjust laws or whatever is completely unnecessary.
Oh, good point, thanks for explaining. I did think it strange that a prosecutor was implying he was part of the judicial branch, and chalked it up to not being familiar with the German judicial system.
Still, I think it's better to limit prosecutorial power by changing laws than to rely on prosecutorial discretion, i.e. I'd prefer he get fired for "this is a wholly baseless prosecution that has no place under our laws", not for "this is an unpopular prosecution that your boss told you to drop".
It's also very questionable if Maas was indeed "just" enforcing laws, at least he was strangely selective in doing so (for some reason, he was very reluctant to enforce similar laws in the NSA-spy-affair). It's also very questionable of the accusations of treason against journalists only doing their job would have held up in court.
So the simple explanation is that the Generalbundesanwalt went too far, his superior had to act to avoid loosing face, and all this speculation about empty gestures, unjust laws or whatever is completely unnecessary.