Tracing the roots of German democracy

The plenary chamber within Germany's so-called Reichstag is the vibrant heart of German democracy. It is here that elected delegates come together for parliamentary sittings. Most of these are held in public, allowing visitors to watch from the gallery above the plenary chamber.

In 1832 Hambacher Castle hosted the Hambach Festival. The protest event brought together liberal students, traders and farmers calling for German unity, freedom and democracy. It has been reported that some 30,000 people attended the event, including women, which is noteworthy, as they were largely excluded from politics during these times.

Following the 1848 revolution, St. Paul's Church became the seat of the Frankfurt National Assembly, Germany's first ever parliament. Members of parliament debated over a liberal constitution and plans to create a German national state. By 1849, however, the parliament failed. The constitutional draft it had devised earlier was never adopted but formed the foundation for constitutions to come.

This bust of Sophie Scholl can be found in the atrium of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. It was here that in 1943 Scholl, a member of the anti-fascist 'White Rose' group, distributed leaflets urging resistance against the National Socialist dictatorship. She was caught doing so, arrested and then sentenced to death and killed in that same year, along with her brother Hans Scholl.

Leipzig's Monday protests, which saw GDR citizens demanding greater freedom and more rights, began in September 1989. Over the weeks, more and more citizens joined the protests. The marches culminated in East Germany's peaceful revolution. Today, a column with palm leaves sprouting out the top beside St. Nicholas Church commemorates the mass protests.

The 'Parliament of Trees against violence and war' is a memorial dedicated to those who died attempting to cross the Berlin Wall. It was created by artist Ben Wagin and is situated near Berlin's government district. The memorial, located along the former border wall, was inaugurated in November 1990.

Between 1949 and 1999, Germany was governed from Bonn. Then, parliament and government moved to Berlin, the new capital of reunified Germany. To this day, Bonn is dotted with buildings that were of great significance for the first fifty years of German post-war democracy. Among them is the Hammerschmidt Villa, which now serves as the secondary official residence of the German President.

The Federal Constitutional Court is the guardian of Germany's constitution and democracy. It decides how constitutional law ought to be interpreted and ensures other courts' rulings are compatible with the constitution. It issued its first ruling on September 9th 1951.