YOU & THE LAW

How do you experience the law? That's what we're asking visitors to the exhibition "Recht – Spielregeln des Alltags," and we're inviting them to share short video messages. You can watch them here! Fair or unfair, helpful or a hindrance: how is the law perceived? Find out what challenges other people face, where the law has helped, or where it reaches its limits. #LetsTalkAboutRecht

Do you have any experience with the law?

How did it go for you—fair, helpful, or more frustrating?

This is how visitors to the exhibition describe their most formative experiences with the law. They filled out postcards directly during their visit to the exhibition. We also ask for thoughts and experiences with the law in everyday life on our participation platform. Here are a few responses. You can view all the survey results on our Engagement Platform (in German). read more.
Please join our survey on the Exhibition's Themes (in German). You don't have to have visited the exhibition, and it only takes three minutes.

Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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It really upsets me that politicians (ministers) aren't punished for their bad investments!!! Nor are they punished for lobbying!!! Why aren't the crimes committed by priests and church officials subject to criminal prosecution by the state??

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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The rights of the socially disadvantaged are being trampled on more and more. Cuts to basic income are making those who have nothing to begin with even poorer. (...) The law protects the economic system, not the people within it. Nor is the system broken. It works exactly as it’s supposed to, and that’s the problem.

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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The justice system is failing when it comes to climate justice and is punishing those who draw attention to it—such as the „climate protesters.“ Those who are destroying our future.

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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With the shift to the right and left (toward increasingly extreme views), I'm truly afraid for our democracy! And for our fundamental rights!!

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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“On the high seas and in court, you're in God's hands,„ as the saying goes. The fact is: Lawmakers enact “vague provisions" that judges interpret as they see fit. I would like to see clear laws with no room for interpretation.

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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Rental Property: Apartment We received a notice of termination without notice from the landlord. The apartment was supposed to be handed over in a clean and swept condition at the end of the year; the termination was not lawful. The Baden Tenants' Association [...] wrote the decisive letter. Thank you!!

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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The judicial system is facing a growing problem of public acceptance due to exorbitantly long trial durations. Examples include the NSU trial, the Volkswagen diesel scandal proceedings, and so on. Civil proceedings in Germany also take 3 to 6 years; if people do not even attempt to assert their rights in the first place due to the prohibitively long duration of proceedings or the prohibitively high risk of litigation costs, even the best legal framework is of no use.

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What has been your experience with the rule of law?

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I’ve had many positive experiences with labor law, as it protected me as an apprentice in stressful situations. With the police, however, my experiences have been almost exclusively negative. The police didn’t care about women who were out alone at night while drunk. I took them home. I was also punched in the face by the police during a legal demonstration.

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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I, Maria, am a Sinteza, and for years I was always pigeonholed. I think it's great that people are raising awareness!

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What has been your experience with the rule of law?

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Hi! I moved to Germany all by myself in 2016 to study law, and I’m now doing my legal clerkship in Karlsruhe. I find your work very important and informative. Aside from my entire education, my most significant experience with the law was my naturalization in April of this year. I look forward to working for the German government as a prosecutor in the future. Thank you very much for your work!

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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The protection of unborn children, pregnant women, children of all ages, and, as a rule, their mothers against domestic violence perpetrated by an ex-partner or current partner is still not adequately guaranteed. In cases of separation and divorce, the best interests of the child are still not given sufficient consideration, and the unscientific ideology of „parental alienation“ is invoked in individual cases. There is a need for continuing education and public participation.

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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It’s truly shocking: court-appointed experts in social welfare cases who base their reports on desired outcomes rather than on facts. Judges who, instead of seeking clarification, are full of praise for the expert. Where are the rules of law in practice?

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In what situation has a law or rule helped you?

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The rule that cell phones are banned in class—I used to think it was totally unnecessary. But I realized that I could actually concentrate much better without my cell phone. Otherwise, I’d probably just be hanging out on TikTok 😅

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Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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Far too little is said and done when it comes to children's rights and protection. Many things are tolerated even though they are prohibited. Why?

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What are your thoughts on the topic of law that you'd like to share?

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It bothers me how confusing the law often is. You want to do everything right, but without a law degree, it’s hard to understand a lot of it—and that creates uncertainty in everyday life.

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You can come up with a law that would make your everyday life easier. What would it be?

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Public transportation always has to be on time and have Wi-Fi and power outlets. Just imagine how much better everything would be 😩

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In what situation has a law or rule helped you?

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By the time you're 40, you really start to realize how important good laws and rules are—even if you might have thought they were totally unnecessary when you were 17.

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You can come up with a law that would make your everyday life easier. What would it be?

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„The Sleep-In Law" §1: School, college, or work may not start before 10 a.m. Period.

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In what situation has a law or rule helped you?

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I think it helps me in almost every situation. For example, I recently managed to get my rent reduced—and rightly so.

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You can come up with a law that would make your everyday life easier. What would it be?

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It would be great if there were a law that permanently restricted car traffic in city centers. As a cyclist, I often feel unsafe in the city because cars have the right of way in many places.

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Join the discussion

Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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One rule that really helped me was the Parental Allowance Act—that is, the option to receive financial support from the government after the birth of my child while taking parental leave. That took the pressure off me to go back to work right away and really gave me the time I needed to settle into my new role as a mother.

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Join the discussion

Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major success, we want to know what matters to you when it comes to the law!

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I've been thinking about how we can ensure that governments abide by the law. After all, defamation or interference with the judiciary is often the first step in a very troubling direction...

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Tell us your story

Create a video & be part of the exhibition!

Law and regulations affect us all—and we all have our own personal experiences with them. What have your experiences been? We want to know: Tell us how you experience the law, "Rechtsstaat", and the rule of law! Your voice matters—share your experiences!

Record a video message on your phone and become part of the exhibition "Recht – Spielregeln des Alltags." Or take our survey, and with a little luck, you might soon find your story here on the website.

Here are some examples of things you can talk about:
Where have you encountered the law in your everyday life?
What positive or negative experiences have you had with the rule of law?
What rules do we need—and which ones don't we really need?
You can watch all the video clips at the exhibition and on the website.

Thank you very much for participating!