U.S. English Foundation Research
GERMANY
Legislation
Act Promoting Frisian in the Public Domain
(Unofficial translation into English)
November 11, 2004
The Parliament of the Land has passed the following Act:
PREAMBLE
In acknowledgment of the Frisians’ will to preserve their language in the future and, consequently, also their identity, aware that the membership of the Frisian ethnic group is free, taking into account the fact that Frisians have no mother state outside the borders of the Federal Republic of Germany that feels obliged towards them and is concerned for their language’s conservation, aware that the protection and promotion of the Frisian language are in the interests of the Land of Schleswig-Holstein, taking into account the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, recalling Article 3 of the Constitution (Grundgesetz) and Article 5 of the Constitution of the Land of Schleswig-Holstein, the Parliament of the Land of Schleswig-Holstein has passed the following Act:
Article 1. Frisian language in public authorities
(1) The Land of Schleswig-Holstein acknowledges the Frisian varieties spoken in Schleswig-Holstein as the expression of the Land’s spiritual and cultural richness. Its use is free. Its oral and written usage in the public domain and the encouragement to use it shall be protected and promoted.
(2) Citizens may address the authorities in the district (Kreis) of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland in the Frisian language and may submit application forms, vouchers, supporting documents and other written documents in the Frisian language; Article 82a, par. 2-4, of the Land’s Administration Act (Landesverwaltungsgesetz) shall apply should the authority in question have no Frisian language command. If a citizen uses the Frisian language in his or her dealings with the authorities in the district of Nordfriesland or on the island of Helgoland, such authorities may likewise use the Frisian language in response, provided that the administrative procedure does not prejudice the rights of third parties or the legal capacity of other public administration authorities.
(3) The authorities in the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland may draft bilingual official forms and public notices in German and Frisian.
Article 2. Recruitment criterion
The Land of Schleswig-Holstein, as well as the district of Nordfriesland and the local councils within the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland, shall take into consideration Frisian language command in the recruitment for public service positions, should this be deemed in certain cases as a requirement for the accomplishment of a concrete task.
Article 3. Signage in buildings
(1) In the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland the signage posted in the buildings of the Land’s authorities and in the buildings of the corporate bodies, institutions and foundations subject to public law and under the Land’s supervision shall be bilingual in German and Frisian. The already existing monolingual signage may be complemented with signage in Frisian.
(2) The district of Nordfriesland and the local councils within the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland may post bilingual signage in German and Frisian in public buildings and in the buildings of corporate bodies, institutions and foundations subject to public law and under their supervision in the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland.
(3) The Land of Schleswig-Holstein shall also make efforts for the provision of bilingual signage in German and Frisian in other public buildings, as well as of topographical signs, in the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland.
Article 4. Seals and letterheads
The clauses contained in Article 3 may also apply mutatis mutandis to the seals and letterheads used by the authorities and corporate bodies in the district of Nordfriesland and on the island of Helgoland.
Article 5. Frisian colors and coat of arms
In the district of Nordfriesland the colors and the coat of arms of Frisians may be used alongside the colors and the coat of arms of the Land. The Frisian colors are Golden-Red-Blue.
Article 6. Town signs
In the district of Nordfriesland, the forefront lettering on town signs (traffic sign 310 of the Road Traffic Regulation – StVO, Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung) may be bilingual in German and Frisian, in accordance with Article 46, par. 2, of the Road Traffic Regulation. This goal is to be taken into account and promoted by the Land’s authorities – should the occasion arise, under conditions to be established in more detail with regard to the layout and the array of the signs.
Article 7. Promulgation
This Act shall be promulgated in German and in Frisian translation.
Article 8. Entry into force
This Act shall enter into force one day after its promulgation.
Source: Mercator Legislation, Bulletin No. 60, I Quarter 2005, http://www.ciemen.org/mercator/index-gb.htm
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