Günter Hirsch
Encyclopedia
Günter Hirsch is a German
legal scholar and a former president of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany
.
, the second child of Erhard and Anni Hirsch. After primary school, he attended gymnasium in Neuburg, graduating with his abitur
in 1964. From 1964 to 1969, he studied jurisprudence
at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He took his first state exam in 1969, followed by the second one in 1973. During this period, he also worked as a research assistant for the chair of criminal law
at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He also completed his doctorate
there.
In 1973, Hirsch started working in the Bavaria
n judicial service, first as a public prosecutor from 1975 to 1976, then from 1976 until 1980 as a judge at an Amtsgericht
(local district court). After attending a 15-month course on administrative management at the state chancellery
of Bavaria
, he became a presiding judge at a Landgericht (regional court), serving from 1982 to 1984. Later, he worked at the Bavarian state ministry of justice, where he became the an assistant director and the head of the division for legislative planning, constitutional law and European law between 1989 and 1992.
He then became the president of diverse courts. From September 1, 1992 to December 31, 1992, he was president of the Bezirksgericht (district court) of Dresden
; from 1993 until October 6, 1994, he was president of the Oberlandesgericht
(higher regional court) of Dresden
. From June 6, 1993 to March 31, 1995, he was also president of the constitutional court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) of the Free State of Saxony
. From 1994 to 2000, he was an appointed judge at the European Court of Justice
, as well.
From 2000 to January 2008, he was president of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany
. He is the vice president of the association of the presidents of the highest courts of justice of the European Union
as well as president of the academy for management and commerce Baden in Karlsruhe
. He is a member of the disciplinary commission of the FIFA
, a member of academy ethics in medicine, a member of the society for comparative law and a member of the society for public international law. From 1984 to 1994, he was also the secretary-general and vice president of the German society for medical law.
Hirsch is an honorary professor
for European and medical law at the Saarland University
. He has to his credit numerous publications in the fields of criminal law, medical law, public law and European law. Hirsch is married to Marta Hirsch-Ziembiñska, a jurist and diplomat.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
legal scholar and a former president of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany
Federal Court of Justice of Germany
The Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction in Germany. It is the supreme court in all matters of criminal and private law...
.
Biography
Günter Erhard Hirsch was born in Neuburg an der DonauNeuburg an der Donau
Neuburg an der Donau, literally Neuburg on the Danube River, is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany.-Divisions:The municipality has 16 divisions:-History:...
, the second child of Erhard and Anni Hirsch. After primary school, he attended gymnasium in Neuburg, graduating with his abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1964. From 1964 to 1969, he studied jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He took his first state exam in 1969, followed by the second one in 1973. During this period, he also worked as a research assistant for the chair of criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He also completed his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
there.
In 1973, Hirsch started working in the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n judicial service, first as a public prosecutor from 1975 to 1976, then from 1976 until 1980 as a judge at an Amtsgericht
Amtsgericht
Amtsgericht is German for Local District Court, situated in Germany in almost every larger capital of a rural district.It mainly acts in Civil and Criminal law affairs. It forms the lowest level of the so-called ordinary jurisdiction of the German judiciary , which is responsible for most criminal...
(local district court). After attending a 15-month course on administrative management at the state chancellery
Chancellery
Chancellery is the office of the chancellor, sometimes also referred to as the chancery. Both of those words have other meanings as well.Chancellery can specifically refer to:...
of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, he became a presiding judge at a Landgericht (regional court), serving from 1982 to 1984. Later, he worked at the Bavarian state ministry of justice, where he became the an assistant director and the head of the division for legislative planning, constitutional law and European law between 1989 and 1992.
He then became the president of diverse courts. From September 1, 1992 to December 31, 1992, he was president of the Bezirksgericht (district court) of Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
; from 1993 until October 6, 1994, he was president of the Oberlandesgericht
Oberlandesgericht
The Oberlandesgericht is one of the 'ordinary courts' in Germany...
(higher regional court) of Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. From June 6, 1993 to March 31, 1995, he was also president of the constitutional court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) of the Free State of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. From 1994 to 2000, he was an appointed judge at the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
, as well.
From 2000 to January 2008, he was president of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany
Federal Court of Justice of Germany
The Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction in Germany. It is the supreme court in all matters of criminal and private law...
. He is the vice president of the association of the presidents of the highest courts of justice of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
as well as president of the academy for management and commerce Baden in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
. He is a member of the disciplinary commission of the FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, a member of academy ethics in medicine, a member of the society for comparative law and a member of the society for public international law. From 1984 to 1994, he was also the secretary-general and vice president of the German society for medical law.
Hirsch is an honorary professor
Honorary title (academic)
Honorary titles in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties...
for European and medical law at the Saarland University
Saarland University
Saarland University is a university located in Saarbrücken, the capital of the German state of Saarland, and Homburg. It was founded in 1948 in Homburg in co-operation with France and is organized in 8 faculties that cover all major fields of science...
. He has to his credit numerous publications in the fields of criminal law, medical law, public law and European law. Hirsch is married to Marta Hirsch-Ziembiñska, a jurist and diplomat.