On 28 September 2026, the official ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Federal Constitutional Court was held in Karlsruhe. Over 1,000 guests from politics, the judiciary and society, including the heads of the constitutional organs of the Federation, and 400 citizens celebrated the Court’s anniversary in the Karlsruhe Stadthalle.
In his ceremonial address, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked the Court in the name of the Federal Republic of Germany. He emphasised the pivotal role played by the Federal Constitutional Court in ensuring the success of German democracy since the Republic’s foundation in 1949 through the protection of the constitutional order, the rights of individuals and the balance between the organs and institutions of the Federation and the Länder: ‘A strong Federal Constitutional Court is part of what makes our democracy resilient.’ It is his firm belief that ‘the Federal Constitutional Court provides a guarantee that – despite all the challenges – our liberal democracy will continue to be a success.’
The ceremony was accompanied musically and artistically by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Meret Becker and her band. Citizens and contemporary witnesses to the Court’s history offered birthday wishes and insights in two short films. Dramatic performances of significant decisions of the Federal Constitutional Court on the topics of ‘Freedom and Expression’ and ‘Boundaries of the Law’, written and directed by Cristin König, rounded out the programme.
The official ceremony was broadcast live on ZDF. A recording of the ceremony can be found in the ZDF-Mediathek.