Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 March 2019
The Federal Republic of Germany is a state that shows a strong support for culture of any kind. While it is not explicitly stated anywhere in the Grundgesetz (Basic Law), it can be argued that very few nations regard the promotion of the arts, sciences and education as a public undertaking to the extent that Germany does. The federal structure of the German constitution is reflected in the allocation of governmental tasks between the federal government and the individual federal states, or Länder. Under this structure, the Länder bear the primary responsibility for cultural matters. However, contrary to widely-held belief, the Basic Law also grants the federal government a range of legislative, administrative and financial powers with respect to cultural matters. Although when taken together these do not add up to a comprehensive promotional authority of the federal government in the cultural sector, due to numerous individual empowerments, the federal government is without doubt in a position to take an active role in cultural affairs to a significant extent.
1 Zippelius/Würtenberger, Deutsches Staatsrecht (31st ed. 2005) 310-311; Hufen, Gegenwartsfragen des Kulturföderalismus, Bayerische Verwaltungsblätter 1, 35 (1985); Mahrenholz, Die Kultur und der Bund, Deutsche Verwaltungsblatt (DVBl.) 857 (2002).Google Scholar
2 See BVerfGE 37, 314, 322; Geis, Die “Kulturhoheit der Länder“, Die Öffentliche Verwaltung (DÖV) 522 (1992); Hense, Bundeskulturpolitik als verfassungs- und verwaltungsrechtliches Problem, DVBl. 376, 379 (2000).Google Scholar
3 The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany unites the ministers and senators of the Länder responsible for education, higher education and research as well as cultural affairs. It is based on an agreement between the Länder.Google Scholar
4 See the preamble of the Standing Orders of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany of 19 November 1955, in the version published on 2.6.2005 (Geschäftsordnung der Ständigen Konferenz der Kultusminister der Länder in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland vom 19. November 1955 i.d.F. vom 2.6.2005).Google Scholar
5 BVerfG Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (NJW) 2803 (2004).Google Scholar
6 BVerfG NJW 493 (2005).Google Scholar
7 Stettner, Der verkaufte Verfassungsstaat, Zeitschrift für Gesetzgebung (ZG) 315 (2002).Google Scholar
8 See Hense, supra note 2 at 381-383. Shortly after he was elected Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder reorganized the administration of cultural issues by means of an organizational decree (Organisationserlass of 27 October 1998, BGBl. I, p. 3288) and created the office of the Federal Government Representative for Culture and Media. The Chancellor stressed the fact that the Federal Government Representative was obliged to respect the cultural sovereignty of the Länder and was only allowed to take measures within the scope of the Federation's powers. Before the creation of the new office, federal competences with regard to culture and media were exercised by several Ministries, such as the Ministry for the Interior, the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Labour, as well as the Ministry for Transport, Building and Housing. According to the Chancellor, it was the Federal Government Representative's task to generate new impulses and be a partner for the cultural policies of the Federation, cf. Government Declaration of 10 November 1998, available at http://www.bundesregierung.de/Reden-Interviews/Regierungserklaerungen-,11638.69116/regierungserklaerung/Regierungserklaerung-von-Bunde.htm.Google Scholar
9 Stettner, Kollusives Zusammenwirken von Bund und Ländern beim Ganztagsschulprogramm, ZG 315 (2003); Stein, Die neuen Kinderbetreuungskonzepte als Kompetenzproblem im Bundesstaat, ZG 324 (2003); Winterhoff, Finanzielle Förderung von Ganztagsschulen und Juniorprofessuren durch den Bund?, Juristenzeitung 59 (2005).Google Scholar
10 Sachs, Art. 20, in: Grundgesetz (Sachs ed., 2nd ed., 1999), margin number 59-61, 65-67Google Scholar
11 Sannwald, Art. 30, in: Grundgesetz (Schmidt-Bleibtreu/Klein eds., 10th ed. 2004), margin number 5-6Google Scholar
12 Zippelius/Würtenberger, supra note 1 at 311; Stettner, supra note 7 at 321. A concise overview over measures in the area of international cultural exchange is given in Auswärtige Kultur- und Bildungspolitik (Auswärtiges Amt Publ.), available at http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/www/de/infoservice/down-load/pdf/publikationen/kupolitik.pdf.Google Scholar
23 BGBl. I, p. 1273 (1965), as last amended by Art. 1 G of 10 September 2003, BGBl. I, p. 1774; BGBl I (2004), 312.Google Scholar
24 RGBl. 217 (1901); BGBl. III, p. 441–1, as last amended by Art. 2 G of 22 March 2002, in force since 1 July 2002, BGBl. I, p. 1158.Google Scholar
25 Stettner, supra note 7 at 322.Google Scholar
26 See BVerwGE 45, 1, 3; Müller/Singer, Rechtliche und Institutionelle Rahmenbedingungen der Kultur in Deutschland, (Wissenschaftliche Dienste des Deutschen Bundestages Publ., 28 January 2004) 36-37, available at http://www.bundestag.de/bic/analysen/2004/2004_07_28.pdf.Google Scholar
27 BGBl. I, p. 1112 (1969), as last amended by Art. 40 G of 24 December 2003, BGBl. I, p. 2954.Google Scholar
28 BGBl. I, p. 1173, 1174 (1975), in the version published on 6 August 2002, BGBl. I, p. 3020; as last amended by Art. 3 X G of 7 July 2005, BGBl. I, p. 1970.Google Scholar
29 BGBl. I, p. 2485, 3839, (1976) in the version published on 16 March 1999, BGBl. I, p. 322, 847, 2033; as last amended by Art. 8 G of 21 June 2005, BGBl. I, p. 1818.Google Scholar
30 Maurer, Staatsrecht I (3rd Ed. 2003), § 17, margin number 33; Sannwald, Art. 72, in: Grundgesetz (Schmidt-Bleibtreu/Klein eds., 10th ed. 2004), margin number 14; Pieroth, Art. 72, in: Grundgesetz (Jarass/Pieroth eds., 7th ed. 2004), margin number 2Google Scholar
31 See BT-Drs. 12/6000, p. 33. Pieroth, Art. 72, in: Grundgesetz (Jarass/Pieroth eds., 7th ed. 2004), margin number 10Google Scholar
32 Maurer, supra 30, § 17 margin number 34.Google Scholar
33 See BVerfG NJW 41, 51 (2003); NJW 2805-2806 (2004).Google Scholar
34 BGBl. I, p. 693 (2002).Google Scholar
35 BVerfG NJW 2803 (2004). See further Zippelius/Würtenberger, supra note 1 at 317; Epping, Der “Juniorprofessor” auf dem rechtlichen Prüfstand, Forschung und Lehre 75 (2001); Janz, Aus für die Juniorprofessur? – BVerfG, NJW 2004, 2803, Juristische Schulung (JuS) 852 (2004).Google Scholar
36 BGBl. I, p. 3835 (2004).Google Scholar
37 Compare Schultze, Föderalismusreform: Zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit, Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte (2005) 13, available at http://www.uni-augsburg.de/institute/kanada/foederalismus-reform.pdf.Google Scholar
38 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, available at http://www.faz.net/s/Rub61EAD5BEA1EE41C-F8EC898B14B05D8D6/Doc~E98DE0CC188F849459668353A443A0FA5~ATpl~Ecommon~Sspezial.html Google Scholar
39 BVerfGE 36, 193, 201-202; Sannwald, Art. 75, supra note 11, margin number 71.Google Scholar
40 BGBl. I, p. 3146. (1994)Google Scholar
41 BT-Drs. 12/6000, p. 34.Google Scholar
42 BVerfG NJW 2803, 2804 (2004)Google Scholar
43 See BVerfG NJW 2803, 2804 (2004); Sannwald, Art. 75, supra note 11, margin number 21a; Hufen, Unvereinbarkeit der “Juniorprofessur” mit dem Grundgesetz – Grenzen der Rahmengesetzgebung des Bundes, JuS 67, 68 (2005).Google Scholar
44 Krüger, Art. 91a, supra note 10 at margin number 6, and Art. 91b, margin number 6.Google Scholar
45 The Federal Constitutional Court described Article 135 IV Basic Law as a “special competence” that enables the federation to establish administrative authorities directly accountable to the federal government, even if the prerequisites of Article 87 III Basic Law have not been met (see BVerfGE 10, 20, 45; 12, 205, 253).Google Scholar
46 BGBl. I, p. 841 (1957).Google Scholar
47 See BVerfGE 10, 20. See further Dietlein, Art. 135, in: Grundgesetz Vol 3 (v. Mangoldt/Klein/Starck eds., 4th ed. 2001), margin number 7-9.Google Scholar
48 Dörr, Die verfassungsrechtliche Stellung der Deutschen Welle (1998) 23.Google Scholar
49 See Zippelius/Würtenberger, supra note 1 at 397; Maurer, supra note 30, at § 10, margin number 27-31; Ehlers, Ungeschriebene Kompetenzen, Juristische Ausbildung 323 (2000) with further references; Bullinger, Ungeschriebene Kompetenzen im Bundesstaat, Archiv des öffentlichen Rechts 96 (1971); Hense, supra note 2 at 378-379; Geis, supra note 2 at 527.Google Scholar
50 See BVerfGE 11, 89, 98-99; 12, 205, 251; 26, 246, 257; Sannwald, Art. 30, supra note 11 at margin number 35; Stettner, supra note 7 at 324.Google Scholar
51 See Anschütz/Thoma, Handbuch des Deutschen Staatsrechts Vol. 1 (1930) 363, 367.Google Scholar
52 See BVerfGE 12, 205, 242.Google Scholar
53 Stettner, supra note 7 at 325.Google Scholar
54 BVerfGE 3, 407, 421; 98, 265, 299. Zippelius/Würtenberger, supra note 1 at 397. More restrictive Erbguth, Art. 30, in: Grundgesetz (Sachs ed., 2nd ed., 1999) margin number 38-39.Google Scholar
55 Maurer, supra note 30 at § 10, margin number 29.Google Scholar
56 Compare März, Art. 30, in: Das Bonner Grundgesetz Vol. 2 (v. Mangoldt/Klein/Starck eds., 4th ed. 2000), margin number 68; Maurer, supra note 30 at § 10, margin number 29.Google Scholar
57 See Siekmann, Art. 104a, in: Sachs ed., supra note 10 margin number 23-24; Hofmann, in: Handbuch des Staatsrechts der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Vol .1 (Isensee/Kirchhof eds., 1987), margin number 65.Google Scholar
58 BVerfGE 26, 338, 390; BVerwG JZ 1992, 460, 461; Pieroth, Art. 104a, in: Jarass/Pieroth eds., supra note 30 margin number 3; Siekmann, Art. 104a, in: Sachs ed., supra note 10 margin number 4; Trapp, Das Veranlassungsprinzip in der Finanzverfassung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 180 (1997).Google Scholar
59 Hellermann, Art. 104a, in: v. Mangoldt/Klein/Starck eds., supra note 47, margin number 159.Google Scholar
60 BVerfGE 26, 338, 390; BVerwGE 44, 351, 364; 102, 119, 124; Pieroth, Art. 104a, in: Jarass/Pieroth eds., supra 30, margin number 3; Hellermann, Art. 104a, in: v. Mangoldt/Klein/Starck eds., supra 47 note, margin number 40; Siekmann, Finanzzuweisungen des Bundes an die Länder auf unklarer Kompetenzgrundlage, DÖV 629, 632 (2002).Google Scholar
61 For the text of the agreement see Sannwald, Art. 30, in: Schmidt-Bleibtreu/Klein eds., supra note 11, margin number 40.Google Scholar
62 Nida-Rümelin, Die kulturelle Dimension des Nationalstaates, available at http://www.bundesregierung.de/Reden-Interviews/Namensbeitraege,11642.72068/namensbeitrag/Staatsminister-Nida-Ruemelin-D.htm.Google Scholar
63 BRat-Drs. 1050/93 of 20 January 1995, p. 7.Google Scholar
64 Siekmann, supra note 60 at 635; Sachs, Art. 104a, supra note 10, margin number 2; Hellermann, Art. 104a, in v. Mangoldt/Klein/Starck eds., supra note 47, margin number 149; Vogel/Kirchhof, Art. 104a, in: Bonner Kommentar (Dolzer/Vogel/Graßhof eds., lose leaflet: May 2003), margin number 130.Google Scholar
65 Hellermann, in v. Mangoldt/Klein/Starck eds., supra 47 at Art. 104a, margin number 149; Siekmann, supra 60 at 635.Google Scholar
66 Stettner, supra note 7 at 327. Critical with regard to the exclusive nature of implied powers Siekmann, supra note 60 at 636.Google Scholar
67 See Stettner, supra note 9 at 315; Stein, supra note 9 at 324; Winterhoff, supra note 9 at 59.Google Scholar
68 Stein, supra note 9 at 335.Google Scholar
69 The text of the administrative agreement is available at http://www.bmbf.de/pub/20030512_verwaltungsvereinbarung_zukunft_bildung_und_betreuung.pdf.Google Scholar
70 Winterhoff, supra note 9 at 62.Google Scholar
71 Winterhoff, supra note 9 at 62.Google Scholar
72 Stettner, supra note 9 at 322-323; Winterhoff, supra note 9 at 62-64.Google Scholar
73 Siekmann, supra note 60 at 629 (2002).Google Scholar
74 Nida-Rümelin, supra note 62.Google Scholar
75 BVerfGE 12, 204, 252.Google Scholar
76 BVerfGE 22, 217,218.; Stettner, supra note 7 at 325-326.Google Scholar
77 Geis, supra note 2 at 528.Google Scholar
78 Mahrenholz, supra note 1 at 865.Google Scholar
79 Stettner, supra note 7 at 332-333.Google Scholar
80 See Mahrenholz, supra note 1 at 861, 863, 867.Google Scholar
81 Stettner, supra note 7 at 329-330.Google Scholar
82 Pieroth, Art. 79, supra 30, margin number 3.Google Scholar
83 BVerfGE 34, 9, 19-20; 87, 181, 196.Google Scholar