Category Archives: Law
Benjamin Franklin on Immigration
Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, wrote this about German immigrants in 1753: Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own Nation… and as few of the … Continue reading
Suicide is not such a bad thing
Hier findet Ihr die deutsche Fassung dieses Artikels. September 10th is “World Suicide Prevention Day”. Well, at least it is safe to assume that this day was not conceived by the greeting cards industry, for once. Yet the question remains: Suicide Prevention … Continue reading
“In the Sea there are Crocodiles” by Fabio Geda
Every week now, thousands of refugees make it to Europe. Thousands die trying. In debates on immigration, refugees are referred to by the numbers in which they arrive, in economic or in legal terms. It’s time to read the account of one … Continue reading
When terrorism was a women’s issue
Remember when your grandmother told you about her time with the Suffragettes, the women campaigning for voting rights in early 20th-century Britain? But they did not only pass out pamphlets, give speeches and sit around knitting and drinking tea. No, some of … Continue reading
The Truth about Divorce Statistics
There are plenty of figures, numbers and statistics about marriage and divorce, some of them even more conflicting than an arguing couple. To know the truth, you only need to know these two statistics about divorce: The divorce rate would … Continue reading
“half-German”
Not least due to my FAQ on German citizenship law, which have established this blog as the number one resource on the internet for questions on German citizenship, I receive a lot of questions almost every day. Most of these … Continue reading
Next trip: Moldova and Transnistria
My birthday will be on 6 July. Strictly mathematically speaking, I will turn 40 then. Searching for a way to postpone this event or to prevent it altogether, an ingenious solution came to my mind, thanks to my legal education, … Continue reading
When the US Supreme Court sounds like a cheesy romance novel
Justice Anthony Kennedy’s final passage in the majority opinion for the US Supreme Court in Obergefell v Hodges, in which the Court mandated all 50 US states to allow same-sex marriage. A bit too cheesy for my taste, but I welcome … Continue reading
German Law on Having Babies
Last night, I received this e-mail: A married but separated woman asked if German law allows her husband to have babies with another woman while they aren’t yet divorced. Because this question comes up regularly, let me answer it once and for all: … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 