State Office for the Protection of the Constitution Baden-Württemberg (Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz Baden-Württemberg)

The main principles that characterise both the constitution and the society of the Federal Republic of Germany are human rights, a multi-party system, independence of the courts, rule of law, accountability of the government, division of powers, sovereignty of the people, the right to establish an opposition and equal opportunities for all political parties.

Since both national socialist and communist tyranny have characterised the last few decades of German history, the German constitution has opted for strong mechanisms to safeguard those principles, allowing them at the same time not only to protect but also to limit the rights and liberties established by the constitution. Criticising and developing the fundamentals of Basic Constitutional Law is not only allowed but is a necessity in a pluralistic society. On the other hand, abusing those constitutional rights in order to abolish them is not permissible.

As a result of the bitter German history, the constitution establishes authorities to protect the free democratic basic order: the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the State Offices for the Protection of the Constitution. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution centrally stores the intelligence gathered by the federal states. It does not control the State Offices for the Protection of the Constitution, but cooperates closely with them.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution Baden-Württemberg (Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz Baden-Württemberg) collects and analyses intelligence information and other documents concerning organisations that try to partly or completely dispose the free democratic order or individual basic rights, in order to detect potential dangers to the main principles of the constitution. On the basis of the gathered information the Office for the Protection of the Consitution keeps the public updated on current developments of organisations that pose a threat to security. The Office is entitled to use intelligence to obtain information, yet it has no police powers. Therefore members of the German Intelligence Services are not authorized to carry out any executive measures (e.g. arrests, search of premises, interrogations, confiscation of items). If the Office for the Protection of the Constitution establishes that judicial and police measures are required the matter is handed over to agencies with appropriate legal powers which decide independently what action is justified.

Currently the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution emphasises its main points of surveillance on Islamism and right-wing extremism, furthermore left-wing extremism and on the activities of foreigners that endanger security, espionage, proliferation and the Scientology Organisation.

Further information in English can be found on the homepage of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz). Follow the links on the upper left to receive additional information about the main tasks of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.