Hans-Peter Schneider

Constitutions have defined his professional life. It was for their sake that he “travelled half-way around the world”. But he would not like to be regarded as “a constitution addict”, still less as a “constitution patriot”. (…) He has helped to launch democratic constitutions from Jena to Tripoli, as his book’s subtitle indicates. In his recollections, he tells of the high points and low points of states coming into existence, acquainting readers with a branch of jurisprudence so rare that few are familiar with it. (…) The reader learns how Schneider obtained his information. The result comprises brief but exhaustive country portraits and answers to existential questions. Can citizens be proud of their history or does it make them suffer? Can they survive on their economic output? Is the administration intact, are schools and universities open, and hospitals operating? Are there political parties? If so, are they able to compromise or are they enemies?
The approach taken by the architects of the planned constitutions depended on the answer to each of these questions and on whether they had to start from scratch or were able to benefit from comparable turning points in other countries.

Rolf Lamprecht: “Deutsches Recht: ein Exportschlager”
© Süddeutsche Zeitung, 5 February 2013