May 26, 2026
„Reflections on Time – 75 Years of the Federal Constitutional Court“
The video recording of the 26th Karlsruhe Constitutional Talks makes them accessible to everyone
The focus of this year's Karlsruhe Constitutional Talks, which took place on May 22, 2026, in Karlsruhe, was the 75th Anniversary of the Federal Constitutional Court. To mark this occasion, the study commissioned by the court „Transformation Through the Law“ which examines the court’s development in the post-Nazi era. It traces how the court has grown institutionally since its founding in 1951, the continuities and breaks in its personnel that have shaped it, and how its case law helped shape the early Federal Republic of Germany. For the first time, the Forum Recht Foundation co-organized the Karlsruhe Constitutional Discussions.
The event was broadcast live by the television station phoenix and is now available online.
As part of the event, there was Isabel Heinemann, Director of the Institute for Contemporary History in Munich and Berlin, gave 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 head of the Research Coordination and Knowledge Management Division at the Forum Recht Foundation, presented the key findings, thereby offering in-depth insights into this formative era.
Finally, the study’s findings were further discussed in a panel discussion. The panel discussion was moderated by Jörg Schönenborn, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).
The guests on the podium
Eva Balz
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.“.
Katarina Barley
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.
Anna-Bettina Kaiser
Prof. Dr. Anna-Bettina Kaiser is a legal scholar and has been a professor of public law and the foundations of law at Humboldt University in Berlin since 2010.
She is also co-editor of the journal of public and constitutional law *Der Staat*.
Frieder Günther
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
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.
Organizer of the event
City of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe Law Students' Association
Karlsruhe Forum for Culture, Law, and Technology, Inc.
German Section of the International Commission of Jurists e. V.
Stiftung Forum Recht
FORUM RECHT e. V. Support Association.
The event will take place under the Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Stephan Harbarth, President of the Federal Constitutional Court takes place.
Further information can be found on the City of Karlsruhe Event Page.