Is there a province of Brandenburg? Are there really people who don't recognize the German borders? Is a handwritten will legally binding without notarization? And is possession of five grams of cannabis a criminal offence? The questions raised by "Police call 110: Heimatliebe" on Sunday evening are answered here.
Are there really people who don't recognize the German state?
Yes, they actually exist. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the "Reich Citizens' Movement" includes people who dispute the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany as a sovereign state. The borders of Germany from 1937 apply to them. They reject the legal system, which is why they also refuse to pay taxes. They also do not recognize administrative decisions, such as the seizure of the car shown in "Polizeiruf 110". Also real: fantasy ID cards that Reich citizens often carry with them. Changing license plates is also part of their scam.
Is there a province of Brandenburg?
Yes and No. The province of Brandenburg was a province of the Free State of Prussia until 1934. After that it became part of the Third Reich - until it finally disintegrated in 1947 as part of the dissolution of Prussia. The former province extends over parts of Brandenburg, Berlin and Poland. According to the head of the police department in the Brandenburg Ministry of the Interior, there are actually Reich citizens there. However, these tend to be individuals rather than organized into groups. It is not known whether they founded a province of Brandenburg.
Is a handwritten will without notarization legally binding?
Yes, it is. Because a handwritten will is in no way inferior to a notarial one, as specialist lawyer Julia Roglmeier explains to "Focus". However, the entire document must be written down by hand. The signature of the author is also important. Wills written and printed out on a PC are therefore not legally binding.
Is it really a criminal offense to possess five grams of cannabis?
Basically: Yes. Because even with 0.1 grams of marijuana in the host pocket you are trading illegally in Germany. However, there is a so-called tolerance regulation, in which criminal proceedings can be avoided. This was decided by the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994 in the "Cannabis Resolution". However, the tolerance limit varies from state to state. It is usually around six grams.
