Foundation Forum Law

Stiftung Forum Recht (Foundation Forum Law) is a non-profit, federally direct foundation under public law (bundesunmittelbare Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts) based in Karlsruhe, Germany, with a second location in Leipzig. Its purpose is to create a communication, information and documentation forum that brings current questions of law and the rule of law to the public through exhibitions, events and activities, both on site and in virtual space. The foundation is designed around citizen participation and treats law and the rule of law as a basic precondition of a functioning, lively democracy for all social groups. The foundation was established by the Forum-Recht-Gesetz (ForumRG), which was adopted by the Bundesrat on 10 May 2019 and entered into force in 2019. Its origins reach back to 2010, when plans for a "European House of Justice" were developed during Karlsruhe's bid to become European Capital of Culture. In 2015 a volunteer initiative circle revived the idea, and in 2016 the German Bundestag approved funds for a feasibility study. In 2018 the plans for a "Forum Recht" as a federal institution were debated in the context of the "Pakt für den Rechtsstaat" and entered the coalition agreement. The foundation's first organ, the Kuratorium (board of trustees), held its constituent meeting on 31 July 2019, with Bettina Limperg serving as interim managing director. The first Direktorium (executive board) took over management in autumn 2020. The foundation operates three organs: the Kuratorium, which decides fundamental questions; the Stiftungsbeirat (foundation advisory council), which supports the foundation's work in substantive terms and includes representatives of relevant institutions, academia and civil society; and the Direktorium, consisting of a director and a deputy director, which conducts the foundation's business. Members of the foundation organs are appointed for five-year terms. Cord Brügmann serves as director and Stephan N. Barthelmess as deputy director. Bettina Limperg was confirmed as chair of the Kuratorium in 2025, and Susanne Baer has chaired the Stiftungsbeirat since the foundation organs were established. Since spring 2022 the foundation has had office, event and education spaces in Karlsruhe, and since June 2023 an interim location in Leipzig at Universitätsstraße 20. New buildings are planned at both locations: in Karlsruhe near the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof), and in Leipzig on the northern area of Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz, where the new building of the Faculty of Law of Leipzig University is also planned. The two new buildings are to be conceived and equipped as equals. Since 2021 the foundation has developed artistic and informative programmes and educational formats for various target groups on law and the rule of law. In 2023 it released the podcast "Justice, Baby! Der Podcast zu Recht und Gerechtigkeit". In 2024, marking the 75th anniversary of the German Basic Law, it released the live podcast "In guter Verfassung? Das Grundgesetz für morgen" together with the podcast radio detektor.fm. It also showed the documentary photo exhibition "Sprawiedliwość – Gerechtigkeit", dealing with Polish judicial reforms during the PiS government. In February 2025 the interactive discussion series "Let's Talk About Recht" started, alternating between Leipzig and Karlsruhe, with a live-on-tape podcast of the same name. Since July 2025 the pop-up exhibition "Recht – Spielregeln des Alltags" has toured Germany. The foundation also offers regular training formats in legal and rule-of-law education.

The origins of Stiftung Forum Recht lie in Karlsruhe's bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2010, when plans were developed for a "European House of Justice". In 2015 a volunteer initiative circle of civil society representatives, the city, the Federal Constitutional Court, the Federal Court of Justice and cultural figures took up the idea again. In 2016 the German Bundestag approved funds for a feasibility study, which was presented the following year by the Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History Munich-Berlin, the architecture firm bogner.knoll, the agency TRIAD and the architect Wolfgang Grether. In 2018 two specialist symposia at the Federal Constitutional Court and the Federal Court of Justice followed on implementation. Also in 2018, the plans for a "Forum Recht" as a federal institution were the subject of plenary debates on the "Pakt für den Rechtsstaat" and entered the coalition agreement. On 10 May 2019 the Bundesrat adopted the Forum-Recht-Gesetz (ForumRG) based on a draft by the parliamentary groups of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, CDU/CSU, FDP and SPD; the Die Linke group had submitted a bill with the same goal at the same time. After the foundation law entered into force, the Kuratorium held its constituent meeting on 31 July 2019 as the first organ of the foundation. The chair of the Kuratorium, Bettina Limperg, took over management on an interim basis. In autumn 2020 the first Direktorium took over the management of the foundation. Since spring 2022 the foundation has had office, event and education rooms in Karlsruhe. On 2 June 2023 it opened its interim location in Leipzig at Universitätsstraße 20. New buildings are planned at both locations: in Karlsruhe a dedicated building in the immediate vicinity of the Federal Court of Justice, and in Leipzig a building on the northern area of Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz, where the new building of the Faculty of Law of Leipzig University is also to be built. The two new buildings are to be conceived and equipped as equals. Since 2021 the foundation has developed and offered artistic and informative programmes and educational formats for various target groups on law and the rule of law. In 2023 the podcast "Justice, Baby! Der Podcast zu Recht und Gerechtigkeit" appeared. In 2024, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the German Basic Law, the live podcast "In guter Verfassung? Das Grundgesetz für morgen" appeared together with the podcast radio detektor.fm. The foundation also showed the documentary photo exhibition "Sprawiedliwość – Gerechtigkeit", which dealt with the Polish judicial reforms during the government of the right-conservative PiS party. In February 2025 the interactive discussion series "Let's Talk About Recht" started, alternating between Leipzig and Karlsruhe, with citizens and experts discussing fundamental questions of law and the rule of law; the conversations become the live-on-tape podcast of the same name. Since July 2025 the pop-up exhibition "Recht – Spielregeln des Alltags" has toured Germany. Regular training formats in legal and rule-of-law education are also offered. The foundation has three organs: the Kuratorium, which decides fundamental questions; the Stiftungsbeirat, which supports the foundation's work in substantive terms and consists of representatives of various thematically relevant institutions and academic fields as well as civil society; and the Direktorium, consisting of a leadership and a deputy position, which conducts the foundation's business. Members of the foundation organs are appointed for five years. Today the Direktorium comprises Cord Brügmann (director) and Stephan N. Barthelmess (deputy director). Bettina Limperg was confirmed in 2025 as chair of the foundation's Kuratorium. Susanne Baer has been chair of the Stiftungsbeirat since the foundation organs were established. In 2018 the Förderverein Forum Recht e. V. was founded in Karlsruhe; its founding members developed the idea for a Forum Recht and set the foundation's establishment in motion.

• 2025

  Bettina Limperg is confirmed as chair of the Kuratorium.

• 2024

  The live podcast "In guter Verfassung? Das Grundgesetz für morgen" is released with detektor.fm for the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law; the photo exhibition "Sprawiedliwość – Gerechtigkeit" is shown.

• 2023

  The podcast "Justice, Baby! Der Podcast zu Recht und Gerechtigkeit" is released.

• 2022

  The foundation moves into office, event and education rooms in Karlsruhe in spring.

• 2021

  The foundation begins developing and offering artistic and informative programmes and educational formats.

• 2020

  The first Direktorium takes over the management of the foundation in autumn.

• 2018

  Two specialist symposia on implementation are held at the Federal Constitutional Court and the Federal Court of Justice; the "Forum Recht" plans enter the coalition agreement; the Förderverein Forum Recht e. V. is founded in Karlsruhe.

• 2017

  The feasibility study is presented by the Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History Munich-Berlin, bogner.knoll, TRIAD and architect Wolfgang Grether.

• 2016

  The German Bundestag approves funds for a feasibility study.

• 2015

  A volunteer initiative circle revives the idea.

• 2010

  Plans for a "European House of Justice" developed during Karlsruhe's bid to become European Capital of Culture.

• The Bundesrat adopts the Forum-Recht-Gesetz (ForumRG).

• The Kuratorium holds its constituent meeting as the first organ of the foundation; Bettina Limperg takes over management on an interim basis.

• The foundation opens its interim location in Leipzig at Universitätsstraße 20.

• The interactive discussion series "Let's Talk About Recht" starts.

• The pop-up exhibition "Recht – Spielregeln des Alltags" begins touring Germany.

A federally direct public-law foundation that makes law and the rule of law tangible through participatory, low-threshold and touring formats for broad audiences.

• Let's Talk About Recht

  Started in February 2025, alternating between Leipzig and Karlsruhe, where citizens and experts discuss fundamental questions of law and the rule of law.

• Justice, Baby! Der Podcast zu Recht und Gerechtigkeit

  Podcast on law and justice released in 2023.

• In guter Verfassung? Das Grundgesetz für morgen

  Live podcast released in 2024 with detektor.fm for the 75th anniversary of the German Basic Law.

• Sprawiedliwość – Gerechtigkeit

  Exhibition dealing with Polish judicial reforms during the PiS government.

• Recht – Spielregeln des Alltags

  Touring exhibition in Germany since July 2025.

1. 1Startseite | Stiftung Forum Rechtstiftung-forum-recht.de
2. 2Gesprächsreihe Lets Talk About Recht | Stiftung Forum Rechtstiftung-forum-recht.de
3. 3Foundation Forum Law – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Stiftung Forum Recht – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org