Menu Close
EN
EN DE

December 16, 2025

A Look Back at the Study Tour „The Rule of Law in Germany“

On the Trail of the Rule of Law Between Stuttgart and Berlin

The grounds are home to twelve police stations, as well as dogs and horses. Twenty-eight adults are walking across the former barracks grounds of what is now the Nuremberg-West Police Precinct. The reason: a thirst for knowledge. They are participants in the first study tour organized by the Forum Recht Foundation on the topic of „The Rule of Law in Germany,“ which took place from October 19 to 25, 2025. „We handle 30,000 calls a year here, only 50 of which involve violence,“ explains Police Director Peter Herold, head of the Nuremberg-West Police Precinct. „As part of the executive branch in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, we enforce laws and ensure public safety.“.

Group photo of the study tour participants in front of the Federal Administrative Court

It was insights like these that made the seven-day trip possible. The goal was to give the participants—including two scholarship recipients supported by the Forum Recht Foundation—insights into the practical workings of the German constitutional state and to facilitate an in-depth exchange on the current challenges facing the legal system. The trip took the group to five cities: Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Leipzig, and Berlin. Three staff members from the Forum Recht Foundation served as tour guides: Thomas Stelzl, head of the Outreach and Education Department; Felicia Stahnke, a staff member in the Program and Outreach divisions; and intern Laura Pozzato.

Guided tours of major courts and legal sites—such as a police station—visits to academic institutions like the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Leipzig, and visits to memorial sites like the Memorial to the Nuremberg Trials were complemented by discussions and lectures featuring, among others, legal professionals, judges, journalists, and scholars.

From Justice in Newsrooms to the Injustice of Generations

At the ARD legal newsroom in Karlsruhe, the participants stood in front of the green screen while legal expert Frank Bräutigam shared behind-the-scenes insights into the day-to-day work of the newsroom. They discussed AI and diversity in the courtroom with Judge Christiane Schmaltz of the Federal Court of Justice. At the Stammheim Correctional Facility, they learned that even cell phone detection dogs are part of the team. At the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, they discussed the responsibility and importance of lay judges with Andreas Zwerger, President of the Nuremberg-Fürth Regional Court, as well as judges from the Regional Court and the Chief Public Prosecutor. At the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, Constitutional Court Justice Thomas Offenloch answered their questions.

The Institute of Forensic Medicine in Leipzig performs 800 autopsies annually, 200 of which are on living individuals who have been abused or assaulted. Here, the participants also discussed organ donation and the importance of forensic medicine for the rule of law. Lilja Székessy from the legal counseling service of the Berlin Bar Association spoke about the challenges young people face in accessing justice. They also met Ariane Keitel from the Foundation Division at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection in Berlin. Together with Bijan Moini from the Society for Civil Liberties, they reflected on what each individual can do to counter the rise of right-wing ideology in mainstream society. A seminar with Ralf Oberndörfer at the „Topography of Terror” Memorial in Berlin was followed by a visit to the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial—a prison that became a monument to horror under two dictatorships.

Read about the individual activities for each day of the trip here!
Participants in the study tour are sitting in a circle at the Forum Recht Foundation and listening to a speaker

The study trip began on Sunday, October 19, in Karlsruhe. In the afternoon, the participants met at the Forum Recht Foundation to get to know one another. They gained their first glimpse of the „Residence of Law“ during a city tour titled „Law in the City!“ led by the Forum Recht Foundation team. In the evening, the program featured two expert presentations: Dr. Detlev Fischer, a former judge on the Federal Court of Justice, spoke about „The Early Years of the Residence of Justice“, followed by a presentation by the president of the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe, Jörg Müller, which addressed the question: „Can the Judiciary Save Democracy?“

A woman is standing with her back to the camera, looking at a row of screens and a mixing console.

The Monday, October 20, the group was taken to the Federal Constitutional Court, where they were given an in-depth look at its operations. Afterward, the attorney Maximilian Hohmann, who specializes in constitutional complaints, among other things, gave a practical presentation. The tour continued to the Federal Court of Justice (BGH): After a guided tour, there was a discussion with a BGH judge Christiane Schmaltz took place. The day concluded with a visit to the ARD legal editorial department at SWR, where a discussion with the ARD legal experts Frank Bräutigam and Kolja Schwartz took place.

A file labeled "Personnel Files: Enßlin, Gudrun" is held up to the camera

On Tuesday, October 21, the participants first visited the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe. The trip then continued to Stuttgart, where the group gained insight into the correctional system at the Stuttgart-Stammheim Correctional Facility and met with the facility director Matthias Nagel came up in conversation. Afterward, we continued on to the State Archives in Ludwigsburg. There, Dr. Peter Müller and Dr. Elke Koch a presentation on „Stammheim and the RAF“. After having dinner together in Ludwigsburg, the group drove to Nuremberg that same evening.

A black-and-white image is held up to the camera. The image shows a courtroom full of people. The same courtroom can also be seen out of focus behind the black-and-white image.

The Wednesday, October 22, was dedicated to exploring the history and present state of the judiciary. In Nuremberg, the participants visited the Memorial to the Nuremberg Trials and took a guided tour of the Palace of Justice. They also observed a criminal trial, followed by a Q&A session with a judge from the Nuremberg Higher Regional Court. In the afternoon, the program included a visit to the Nuremberg-West Police Precinct. Afterward, the group traveled to Leipzig.

A group of people is seated in rows of chairs in a lavish hall. There are also a few people standing in the room, taking photos.

On Thursday, October 23, the program began with a guided tour of the Federal Administrative Court and a discussion with Judge Prof. Dr. Isabel Schübel-Pfister. Another „Quite Urban!“ City Tour The tour then took them through Leipzig. Afterward, the group visited the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Leipzig. In the afternoon, there was a keynote presentation: Dr. Anselm Hartinger, director of the Leipzig Museum of City History, provided insights into the museum’s work in the area of promoting the rule of law. Following a workshop held at the foundation’s premises, the group continued on to Berlin that evening.

Several people are standing in front of a white wall covered with various black-and-white photos. One person is pointing at an old map of Germany that is also hanging on the wall.

The Friday, October 24, focused on current efforts to uphold the rule of law in politics and civil society. First, the participants met with the attorney Dr. Lilja Székessy, which is particularly committed to providing legal advice to young people through the Berlin Bar Association, and subsequently gained insight into various areas of work at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. Next on the agenda was a visit to the Society for Civil Liberties, where Bijan Moini the project AfD Report introduced and discussed with the group the possibility of proceedings to ban a political party. In the afternoon, a seminar on „Political Justice under National Socialism“ with Ralf Oberndörfer takes place.

Several people are standing in a room in front of a gray bus, looking through the door into the bus.

On Saturday, October 25, the group visited the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial, where the focus was on examining political repression in the GDR. A final group discussion rounded out the study trip before the bus took the participants back to Karlsruhe or they traveled home individually by train.

The Rule of Law in the Past and Present

A central theme of the study tour was the question of how the law functions in our society and how it manifests itself in the various areas of the participants„ lives. Historical perspectives—such as an examination of the Nuremberg Trials or the rule of law under National Socialism and in the GDR—were considered alongside contemporary practices related to the rule of law. The overarching theme of the trip was the rule of law in its entirety—from the past to the present.

The participants, who came from various fields such as (political) education, social work, media, and the judiciary, were able to not only deepen their knowledge through practical insights and interdisciplinary exchange but also gain new perspectives and ideas for their own work. The study tour thus offered an excellent opportunity to further develop their own roles in teaching about the law and the rule of law.

We would like to thank our  FORUM RECHT Support Association We would like to thank them for providing two scholarships, each worth 350.00 euros, which helped individuals who would otherwise have had difficulty participating in the study trip. 

Outlook

The Forum Recht Foundation is planning an international study tour for 2026 focusing on international law and public international law. The itinerary will begin in Karlsruhe and include stops in Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Brussels, and The Hague, among other destinations. In the fall of 2026, we invite interested individuals to attend our symposium in Leipzig. A theme day on „Constitutional Protection“ is currently being organized for late February in North Rhine-Westphalia; you can register for this event starting at the beginning of the year. Take this opportunity to deepen your knowledge and broaden your perspectives. We look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming Mediation Services to welcome.

Skip to content