Legal status and regulation of the German language in the Federal Republic of Germany

Despite being an official language of several countries in Central and Western Europe, German is not formally recognised as the official language of the Federal Republic of Germany. However, in certain situations the use of the German language, including the spelling rules, is subject to state regulation (by acts of Federal Parliament or by administrative decisions). This article presents the content of this regulation, its scope, and the historical context in which it was adopted.