The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany has been the foundation of German democracy for 75 years. At the time of its official promulgation on 23 May 1949, hardly anyone would have expected it to last for so long – least of all the members of the Parliamentary Council who passed the Basic Law on 8 May 1949 after nine months of intensive deliberation.

The foyer presentation “This is us! 75 years of Basic Law. A publication history” is devoted to the basic law of our constitutional state, one key element of which is the protection of freedom of expression from extremist dissension. The exhibition is the German National Library’s contribution to “Freedom of Speech Week” and at the same time a step towards raising the profile of the German National Library as a place where issues of democracy and the rule of law are discussed.

Visit the exhibition virtually or in person at the German National Library’s German Museum of Books and Writing.

More information

https://www.dnb.de/EN/Kulturell/GrundgesetzDBSM/grundgesetz_node.html