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The Protection of Minority and Regional Languages in Germany

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

Moin (“hello” in Low German)! Today, September 26, 2018, is the European Day of Languages. The European Day of Languages celebrates “linguistic diversity in Europe and promote[s] language learning.” In 2001, the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe (CoE) jointly organized the European Year of Languages, which turned out to be so successful that …

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Family Voting as a Solution to Low Fertility? Experiences from France and Germany

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

The following is a guest post by Johannes Jäger, a foreign law intern working in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. I recently read an op-ed in the New York Times in which the author passionately advocated for the introduction of “Demeny voting” in the United States. The concept behind this term, named after the demographer …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Silent Public Holidays in Germany

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

Today, March 30, 2018, is Good Friday, a day on which Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is an official public holiday in Germany; however it is also one of the “silent public holidays.” Other days on which a silent public holiday is observed include All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, and …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

World Tourism Day and Air Passenger Rights

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

On September 27, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) annually celebrates World Tourism Day. The UNWTO is a UN specialized agency “responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.” One of its goals is to “advocate[e] the value of tourism as a driver of socioeconomic growth and development.” I personally enjoy travelling …

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Personal Data Protection and the EU GDPR

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

Everyone is talking about the European Union‘s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which takes effect today. Recent news reports about misuse of personal data suggest that rules to protect personal data are essential in today’s interconnected (online) world. But what is the GDPR exactly? And why should you care about an EU law if …

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Happy Europe Day 2018!

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

Each year on May 9, the European Union (EU) celebrates “Europe Day.” That date marks the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration delivered in Paris in 1950 by Robert Schuman, a lawyer and the then-French foreign minister. In that declaration, Schuman set out his vision of cooperation between the European countries to ensure lasting peace on the continent. …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

The “Lieber Code” – the First Modern Codification of the Laws of War

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

On April 24, 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued “General Orders No. 100: Instructions for the Government of the Armies of the United States in the Field,” commonly known as the “Lieber Code” after its main author Francis (Franz) Lieber. The Lieber Code set out rules of conduct during hostilities for Union soldiers throughout the U.S. Civil …