Recht Lebendig! Lectures, photo exhibition tour & fishbowl discussion

Together with cooperation partners from North Rhine-Westphalia, we are inviting to a five-day event with various activities exploring the rule of law. "Recht Lebendig" takes place in the city of Herne from November 10 to 14, 2024. In addition to several projects designed for schools, there will be a wide public programme at various locations in the city. The event kicks off with the screening of an ARD "Tatort" episode at Hülsmann Kulturkneipe, followed by a reality check with experts from the public prosecutor's office and criminal investigation department. During the following days, the programme offers exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions and an interactive quiz on the rule of law. Table-talks invite to exchange ideas and ask questions in a relaxed atmosphere with representatives of the judiciary.

The "Recht Lebendig" event is a cooperation of the Stiftung Forum Recht and the Ministry of Justice of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the City of Herne and the Federal Archive - Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv.

You can find more details on the individual events in the following flyer and on our Topic page. 

14:00
Lecture: Legally secure! Probate law and land register law
Location: Herne-Wanne Local Court, Hauptstraße 129, 44651 Herne

Prepared for an emergency
How do you draw up a will? Who inherits in the event of intestate succession? The lecture provides answers to these and other questions.

Real estate acquisition and land register
There are many questions before buying a property: Are there any rights to the property? Who is registered in the land register? Can I inspect the land register? The lecture will discuss the role of the land register.

3:00 p.m.
Public guided tour of the photo exhibition SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ -JUSTICE
Location: Herne-Wanne Local Court, Hauptstraße 129, 44651 Herne

The right-wing conservative government of the PiS ("Prawo i Sprawiedliwość" / "Law and Justice") party fundamentally restructured the Polish judicial system between 2015 and 2023. In doing so, it de facto abolished the independence of the judiciary in Poland. Judges, public prosecutors and lawyers opposed these interventions. Photojournalist Piotr Wójcik took this commitment as the starting point for the photography project, which can be seen at the Amtsgericht Herne-Wanne from October 29 to November 13. The one-hour guided tour will highlight some of the images, provides background information on the events in Poland and address the question of whether the German constitutional state is also vulnerable.

20:00
Fishbowl discussion: In good shape? The future of the Basic Law
Venue: Aula of the Realschule Strünkede, Bismarckstraße 41, 44629 Herne

75 years after its introduction, the Basic Law is not only the basis of our democracy, but also a living document that responds to social and technological changes. But what challenges do we face in the coming years? Is the Basic Law fit for the next 75 years? How do we need to adapt it so that it continues to safeguard the rights and freedoms of all citizens? And how do we respond to new threats such as cybercrime, extremism and climate change? The interactive fishbowl discussion will address these and other questions. Dr. Benjamin Limbach (Minister of Justice of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia), Gudrun Schäpers (President of the Hamm Higher Regional Court), Dr. Frank Dudda (Mayor of the City of Herne), Gesa Plenter (Board Member of GrundGesetzVerstehen e.V.) and moderator Clemens Pfeifer will be taking part. The audience is cordially invited to join in the discussion. In a fishbowl discussion, the circle of participants is not closed. There is a free chair where people from the audience can take a seat and join in the discussion. Join in and have your say!
The evening will be accompanied musically by the group "Orient-Express".