Glanz und Elend des Verfassungsrechts

The role of constitutional law in Germany after 1949 can only be described as a success
story. The gradual constitutionalisation of an legal order which was mostly shaped in
imperial times has had far reaching effects on German society an has created a specific
form of Verfassungspatriotismus. On the other hand there are also signs of decay which
affect all parts of the constitution but manly its fundamental principles. This development
has been accelarted after the fall of the iron curtain an German reunification but
there are plenty of instruments to meet these challenges.