Controversial judgments: a shake of the head about Karlsruhe

In the 70 years, which is the basic law, met with the Federal constitutional court in many judgments. Many a shake of the head triggers today - whether they are decisions about sexual morality or the avoid accidental exposure as "Mephisto".

By Gigi Deppe, ARD-right-editorial

The basic law is stretchy. It must also: A Constitution should be as simply formulated and over the years, for many, to offer orientation, even if the life in society has changed. Sometimes, our basic law was in the past, but also stretchy. This can be seen in decisions of the constitutional court, many shake your head today: What has not been read over everything from the Constitution.

For example, the "Gay decision" of 1957. Action was brought by two men who had been convicted of "same-sex fornication". The constitutional court confirmed the criminal judgment. The gay man tend as a lesbian woman to fall into an unrestrained sexual need. Therefore, men should be unlike women, for homosexuality to be punished.

For the Berlin state rights activist Christoph Möllers is a clear thing. "We feel today as a reactionary, and, frankly, I must say That many people felt already in the second half of the fifty years as a reactionary," he says.