The Basic Law and fundamental rights

In short: The Basic Law (Grundgesetz, GG) has been the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949. The first 19 articles contain the fundamental rights that protect every person from state interference.

In more detail: Article 1 reads: “Human dignity shall be inviolable.”

In detail

• Human dignity (Art. 1): Supreme value, not open to balancing and not amendable.
• Freedom rights: Personal liberty, freedom of faith, speech, press, assembly.
• Equality (Art. 3): Equality before the law, equal rights for women and men, ban on discrimination.
• Property, marriage and family: Especially protected.
• Eternity clause: Basic principles such as democracy and human dignity cannot be changed.
• Constitutional complaint: Citizens can complain to the Federal Constitutional Court about violations of fundamental rights.
• Origin: Response to the Nazi dictatorship (zweiter-weltkrieg-und-nationalsozialismus).
• Limits: Fundamental rights do not apply without limits (gewaltenteilung-legislative-exekutive-judikative).