26th Karlsruhe Constitutional Talks: „Reflections on the Times—75 Years of the Federal Constitutional Court“
This year’s Constitutional Dialogues will focus on the 75th anniversary of the Federal Constitutional Court. To mark this occasion, the study „Transformation Through Law,“ commissioned by the Court, will be presented. It examines the Court’s development in the post-Nazi era, tracing how the Court redefined its role in the early Federal Republic and the lasting influence this phase continues to have on its functions and the legal culture to this day.
As part of the event, Isabel Heinemann, director of the Institute for Contemporary History in Munich and Berlin, will give an introduction. Following that, the two authors of the study, Dr. Eva Balz, historian and research associate at the Institute for Contemporary History in Munich and Berlin, and PD Dr. Frieder Günther, a historian and director of the Research Coordination and Knowledge Management Division at the Forum Recht Foundation, presents the key findings, thereby offering in-depth insights into this formative era.
Finally, the study’s findings will be discussed further during a panel discussion. The panel discussion will be moderated by Jörg Schönenborn of Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).
Guests on the Panel
Dr. Eva Balz, A historian specializing in German contemporary history, the reappraisal of National Socialism, and legal research. As a research associate at the Institute for Contemporary History in Munich and Berlin, she is a co-author of the study „Transformation through Law.“.
Dr. Katarina Barley She has been Vice President of the European Parliament since 2019. Prior to that, she served as a member of the German Bundestag, Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, and held other ministerial posts. Before her political career, she worked as a judge and attorney.
Prof. Dr. Anna-Bettina Kaiser is a legal scholar and professor of public law and the foundations of law at Humboldt University in Berlin. After studying law and musicology in Freiburg and earning a master’s degree at Cambridge, she completed her legal clerkship at the Federal Constitutional Court and the European Commission, among other institutions. Since 2010, she has been shaping research and teaching at Humboldt University, focusing on constitutional and administrative law. She is also co-editor of „Der Staat,“ a renowned academic journal on public and constitutional law.
PD Dr. Frieder Günther, a historian and private lecturer, has headed the Research Coordination and Knowledge Management Division at the Forum Recht Foundation since the beginning of the year. Previously, he worked at the Institute for Contemporary History, where he led the research project „Transformation through Law,“ commissioned by the Federal Constitutional Court.
Joachim Telgenbüscher He is one of Germany's best-known history journalists. He headed the editorial team of GEO EPOCHE magazine for several years. Since 2024, he has been co-hosting the weekly history podcast with journalist Nils Minkmar „What Has Happened So Far“ and, in doing so, inspires a wide audience to explore historical contexts.
About the Karlsruhe Constitutional Talks
In 2026, the Forum Recht Foundation will serve as a co-organizer of the 26th Karlsruhe Constitutional Talks for the first time. The Karlsruhe Constitutional Talks take place every year on May 22—the eve of the proclamation of the Basic Law—at the Federal Constitutional Court and focus on current constitutional issues. Prominent figures from politics, academia, and the judiciary are invited to participate in the public panel discussion.
Service
Location: Federal Constitutional Court, Schlossbezirk 3, 76131 Karlsruhe
Maps: A limited number of tickets will be available free of charge on Monday, May 18, 2026, 8:00 a.m., at the City Hall entrance in Karlsruhe awarded.
Ticket reservations are not available. A maximum of two tickets may be issued per person. When picking up the tickets, valid government-issued identification must be presented for each guest. For security reasons, the last name, first name, and date of birth will be forwarded to the Federal Police and cross-checked against the police information system. The data will be deleted a few days after the event.
Recording: The event from the Federal Constitutional Court’s session hall will be broadcast live on Friday, May 22, 2026, starting at 6:00 p.m. on phoenix or available to watch online via livestream and on demand in the media library afterward, The livestream is also available via YouTube available.
A summary of the interview will be broadcast on Sunday, May 24, at 12:00 p.m., on the phoenix television network.
Organizer: City of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe Law Students' Association, Karlsruhe Forum for Culture, Law, and Technology, Inc., German Section of the International Commission of Jurists, Inc., Forum Recht Foundation, and FORUM RECHT Support Association, Inc.
The event is being held under the patronage of the President of the Federal Constitutional Court Prof. Dr. Stephan Harbarth takes place.
Further information can be found on the City of Karlsruhe Event Page.