honorary citizenship

Personalities who have made a special contribution to a community can be honored with this award. The achievements to be honored can be very different; for example, it can be about economic, local political or artistic merits.

The award of honorary citizenship represents a way of being honored by the municipality within the framework of the Rhineland-Palatinate Municipal Code. Since honorary citizenship is a personal right, it can only be awarded to natural persons. It is not possible to grant honorary citizenship to someone who has already died.

The award of a honorific to community representatives, honorary officials, full-time elected officials, members of a local advisory board or advisory board for foreigners is another example of an award at municipal level. The mandate or office must have been exercised for a total of at least twenty years. The law does not specify what is meant by honorary designations. For example, ?Honorary Mayor? or ?church elder? under consideration.

The granting of honorary citizenship or an honorary title has no narrower legal significance; no special rights and obligations or even privileges are associated with it.

Only the municipal council decides on the granting of honorary citizenship or an honorary title with a simple majority.

The municipality can in a statute other opportunities for event-related honors and award, for example, specially made medals, pins, coat of arms plates or rings of honour. The statutes can also regulate the procedure for honoring (e.g. proposals about honorees are to be sent in writing to the municipal council / city council).

In addition, procedures for awarding state honors and orders can be initiated by the community. These include: Letter of honor from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Rhineland-Palatinate Order of Merit, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.