Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany

The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany is the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. The West German constitution was adopted in Bonn on 8 May 1949 and took effect on 23 May after approval by the occupying Western Allies of World War II. It was called a Basic Law rather than a constitution to signal that it was a provisional arrangement pending German reunification, but when reunification took place in 1990 it was retained as the definitive constitution of the reunified country. Its authors, seeking to prevent a future dictator from ever again seizing power, made protection of human dignity its first article and placed the principles of democracy, republicanism, social responsibility, federalism, and the rule of law under a permanent eternity clause that cannot be amended away.