Prof. Dr Katrin Gierhake, LL.M. – Chair

2014–2023

Women’s Representative for the Faculty of Law at the University of Regensburg, Member of the faculty board (2014–2023)

October 2013

Appointed as a university professor
(W 3, Chair of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Philosophy of Law) at the University of Regensburg

2006–2013

Habilitation ( Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)

Habilitation thesis: ‘The Relationship between Freedom, Security and Punishment in a Constitutional State – Foundations and Criteria for Legitimate Terrorism Prevention as Distinct from a Criminal Law System Based on Liberty’

Habilitation lecture: “ On the Justification of the Principle of Publicity in Criminal Proceedings”

Venia legendi in Criminal Law , Criminal Procedure, International Criminal Law and Philosophy of Law

2003–2006

Legal traineeship at the Regional Court of Bonn
Second State Examination in Law: 2006 (Bonn)

2004

PhD ( Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn): ‘The Justification of International Criminal Law on the Basis of Kantian Legal Theory’

2001–2013

Academic research
Initially at the Chair of Criminal Law, criminal procedure and philosophy of law at the University of Trier; from October 2002 at the Seminar on Legal Philosophy at the University of Bonn (Prof. Dr Rainer Zaczyk); from May 2008 as Academic Councillor (on secondment)

1999–2000

LL.M. in International Law
(University of Nottingham, England)
LL.M. dissertation: “The Role of the International Criminal Court in an Emerging Legal World Order”

1994–1999

Studied law (University of Trier)
First State Examination in Law: 1999 (Trier)

Subject-specific foreign language training: Spanish (University of Trier)

1992–1994

Training as a bank clerk (Düsseldorf)

1992

A-levels

I. Monographs

• The Relationship between Freedom, Security and Punishment in Law – An Examination of the Foundations and Criteria of Legitimate Counter-Terrorism (2013), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin

  Reviews: Schick, ZIS 5/2014, p. 250 ff.; Bittmann, Journal der Wirtschaftsstrafrechtlichen Vereinigung e.V., 02/2015 dated 17 April 2015;
  Murmann, GA 2016, pp. 488 ff.; Weißer, JZ 2016, 794.

• The Foundations of International Criminal Law Based on Kantian Legal Theory (2005), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin

  Reviews: Pawlik, ZIS 1/2006, p. 49 ff.; Wegscheider, JSt 1/2007, p. 34; Brieskorn, *Stimmen der Zeit* 9/2007, p. 645 et seq.; Kelker, *GA* 2008, p. 647 et seq.; Eberl/Nour, *Kantian Review*, Volume 13-1, 2008, p. 178 et seq.

  Academic honours: Inclusion of the doctoral thesis in the ‘List of Legal Books of the Year’ 2006 (Zimmermann, NJW 2006, p. 3328 (3330)); Awarded the prize of the Society of Friends and Patrons of the University of Bonn (GEFFRUB Prize) for the best academic thesis by a Bonn student in the 2004/2005 academic year.

II. Editorial Roles

• Co-editor of the commemorative volume for Bernd von Heintschel-Heinegg on his 70th birthday (2015) (C.H. Beck) (together with Jan Bockemühl, Henning Ernst Müller and Tonio Walter)
• Spanish-German special edition of the Journal of International Criminal Law (ZIS) on fundamental issues of the Colombian peace process, July/August/September 2017 issues (in collaboration with Nathalia Bautista, Bogotá) Link

III. Essays and standalone contributions in anthologies

• ‘On the Limits of Legal Self-Determination – Reflections on the Federal Constitutional Court’s Ruling on the Right to Self-Determined Death’, in: Memorial Volume for Michael Köhler, forthcoming (2026)
• “On the status of vaccination doctors in the state ‘Corona vaccination campaign’ as public officials and the consequences for criminal prosecution in cases of inadequate information provision”, medical law – MedR (2026) 44: 428–432 LINK: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00350-026-7332-7
• “Hard Times for Free Public Discourse? – On the Significance of Criminal Law Prohibitions on Free Speech”,vorgänge – Journal of Civil Rights and Social Policy (forthcoming, 2026) Link
• “Law – Punishment – Pardon: On the legal basis for pardons”, Journal of International Criminal Law (ZfIStw), 6/2025, pp. 675ff. Link
• “Resonance on the Theory of Criminal Law Resonance”, GA 2025, pp. 181 ff.
• “Solidarity Based on Freedom? On the Basis of Mutual Solidarity in Kant’s Theory of Law and the State”, Journal of Philosophy of Law (ZRph), New Series 8/2024, pp. 153 ff.
• ‘Has the Law Been Suspended?’ Journal of Philosophy of Law (ZRph), New Series 6/7 2022/2023, pp. 132–164; abridged and modified version “Tackling the Pandemic through Emergency Law?” in: Hrvoje Juric and Markus Knaup (eds.), Life in Post-Pandemic Times (2024), pp. 37 ff.
• Co-authored with Carlos A Gebauer, “Medical Consent for Treatments with Conditionally Authorised mRNA Vaccines”, NJW 31/2023, pp. 2231 ff.
• “Philosophy of Law in the Pandemic Crisis – From the Ivory Tower to the Realities on the Ground?”, Bonner Rechtsjournal (BRJ) 01/2022, pp. 38 ff. Link
• Chapter “Philosophy of Law” in: Julian Krüper (ed.), Fundamentals of Law (1st ed. 2011, 2nd ed. 2013, 3rd ed. 2017, 4th ed. 2021, 5th ed. 2025), Nomos Verlag, Baden-Baden.
• Together with Dederer, Preiß: “One Year of the Pandemic – An Interim Assessment from the Perspective of Legal Philosophy and Constitutional Law” – Part 1 COVur 8/21, pp. 454 et seq., Part 2 COVur 9/2021, pp. 522 et seq.
• Gierhake, “The standard for justifying consent in medical interventions affecting physical integrity – in this case: vaccination against the coronavirus” medstra (Medical Criminal Law), 5/2021, Statement.
• “Voluntary nature of vaccination against the coronavirus” Zeitschrift für Rechtspolitik (ZRP), 4/2021, pp. 115 ff.
• “The Significance of Morality for Hegel’s Justification of Punishment”, Journal of Legal Philosophy (ZRPh), New Series 4, 2020, pp. 23 ff.
• “Critical Remarks on a ‘Normatively Functional Concept of a Criminal Offence – With Reference to the Necessary Legitimacy Link between Crime and Punishment’” Yearbook for Law and Ethics (JRE), Vol. 28 (2020), pp. 171 ff.
• “Offences under the International Criminal Code – Issues of the elements of the offence and questions of participation”, NJW 25/2019, pp. 1779 ff.
• “Transitional justice as an act of self-determination by a people / Reflections on the relationship between global citizenship, international criminal law and transitional justice”, in: Gerd Brudermüller et al. (eds.), Cosmopolitanism in a Globalised World – Philosophical and Legal Challenges, Publications of the Institute for Applied Ethics, Volume 18, Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 2019.
• Chapter “Philosophy of Law” in: Julian Krüper (ed.), Foundations of Law (1st ed. 2011, 2nd ed. 2013, 3rd ed. 2017), Nomos Verlag, Baden-Baden.

• “Punishment and Amnesty in Times of Fragile Statehood. The Significance of the Liberal Concept of Law for Transitional Justice: The Case of the Colombian Peace Process”, Journal of International Criminal Law (ZIS 7/8 2017), pp. 356 ff. Link

  Spanish translation: (ZIS 9/2017), pp. 457 ff.

• “The Justification of Punishment in Situations of State Transition” Journal of Philosophy of Law. New Series (ZRph, 1/2017), pp. 92 ff.
• “Five Fundamental Problems of Contemporary Criminal Law. A Response to Jochen Bung” (ZIS 11/2016), pp. 731 ff. Link
• “Punishment, Criminal Proceedings and Media Coverage”, in: Uwe Murmann (ed.), Criminal Law and the Media (2016), Göttingen, pp. 51 ff.
• “On the Discussion Concerning the Foundations of a Liberal Criminal Law. Also a Review of Frauke Timm, ‘Attitude and Criminal Offence: Reflections on a Criminal Law Based on the Rule of Law’ (2012)”, Duncker und Humblot, Berlin (p. 267), in: Journal of International Criminal Law (ZIS 5/2015), pp. 292 ff. Link
• “A Critique of Functional-Preventive Criminal Law – Also a Contribution to the Prevention of Terrorism under the Rule of Law”, in: Beatrice Brunhöber (ed.), The Preventive State, Volume 27 of the Staatsdiskurse series (edited by Rüdiger Voigt), Franz-Steiner-Verlag, Stuttgart 2014.
• ‘On the Foundations of a Prevention Law under the Rule of Law through the Justification of Legal Coercion in Kant and Hegel – At the Same Time, a Contribution to the State as an Institution of Legal Peace Necessary for Reason’, (ARSP, Supplement 140), 2014, p. 33 ff.
• ‘On the Consequences of Hegel’s Substantive Justification of Punishment for the Concrete Structure of Criminal Law Institutions’. Commentary on the lecture ‘Jury trials and criminal law institutions’ by Wolfgang Schild, in: Kurt Seelmann/Benno Zabel (eds.), Autonomy and Normativity: On Hegel’s philosophy of law, Tübingen 2014, pp. 235 ff.
• ‘On the Justification of the Principle of Publicity in Criminal Proceedings’, Juristenzeitung (JZ) 2013, pp. 1030 ff.
• Chapter ‘Philosophy of Law’ in: Julian Krüper (ed.), Grundlagen des Rechts (1st ed. 2011, 2nd ed. 2013), Nomos Verlag, Baden-Baden.
• ‘On the “serious desire to kill” within the meaning of Section 216(1) of the German Criminal Code (StGB) and on error as to its existence pursuant to Section 16(2) StGB – Along with reflections on the ground for punishment of killing on request’, Goltdammer’s Archiv für criminal law (GA) 2012, pp. 291 ff.
• “On the requirement of an ‘extensive or systematic attack against a civilian population’ as an element of crimes against humanity”, Zeitschrift für internationale Strafrechtsdogmatik (ZIS) 11/2010, pp. 676 ff. Link
• Case study on issues relating to theft and fraud: “A Manhunt with Consequences”, Juristische Ausbildung (JURA) 2010, pp. 312 ff.
• “On the planned introduction of new criminal offences relating to the preparation of terrorist offences”, Journal of International Criminal Law (ZIS) 9/2008, pp. 397 ff.
• “The Treatment of Enemies in Law? – A Critique of so-called ‘enemy criminal law’ and, at the same time, an examination of Günther Jakobs’ theory of crime”, Archive for Legal and Social Philosophy (ARSP) 3/2008, pp. 337 ff.

• “On the Legitimacy of International Criminal Law” Journal of International Criminal Law (ZIS) 8/2008, p. 354 ff. Link

  Spanish translation: “On the Legitimacy of International Criminal Law”, XXXV International Conference on Criminal Law: Peace Processes: Criminal Law and Transitional Justice; José Antonio Caro John (et al.); edited by Jaime Bernal Cuéllar – Bogotá: Universidad Externado de Colombia, 2014, pp. 95–116.

• “The Principle of Universal Jurisdiction under Section 1 of the International Criminal Code and its Procedural Implementation in Section 153f of the Code of Criminal Procedure” Zeitschrift für die gesamte Strafrechtswissenschaft (ZStW) 120 (2008), pp. 375 ff.
• Case study on robbery and extortion offences: “Holiday preparations”, Juristische Arbeitsblätter (JA) 6/2008, pp. 429 ff.

IV. Book Reviews

• Katrin Hawickhorst, Section 129a – A Misguided Approach under Criminal Law to Combating Terrorism / A Critical Analysis of a Key Procedural Provision in Substantive Law (2011), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, Goltdammers’s Archiv für criminal law (GA) 2013, pp. 424 ff.
• Frauke Timm, ‘Intent and Criminal Offence / A Reflection on Criminal Law under the Rule of Law’ (2012), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, in: Zeitschrift für internationale Strafrechtsdogmatik (ZIS 2015), pp. 292 ff.
• “Reflections on Individual Aspects of Kant’s Theory of Law – Review of: Jean-Christophe Merle / Alexandre Travessoni Gomes Trivesonno (eds.), Kant’s Theory of Law, ARSP Supplement, Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, 2015, 138 pp.”, in: Philosophy of Law (RPhZ) 2019, pp. 210 ff.

V. Case law notes and miscellaneous

• “Preparation of terrorist offences” – Statement for the Legal Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag dated 17 April 2009. Link
• NJW Editorial 15/2019: Enlightened Legal Education.
• Commentary on the Federal Court of Justice (BGH), decision of 6 June 2019 – StB 14/19, NJW 2019, 2627.
• “‘Don’t give us that Humboldt nonsense!’ – On the crumbling unity of research and teaching at universities in general and in law in particular” in: Bonner Rechtsjournal Special Edition 01/2019, p. 8 ff. Link
• “The impossible is owed” in: Zeitschrift für Didaktik der Rechtswissenschaft (ZDRW) 01/2020, p. 3 ff. Link
• ‘Freedom? Freedom! The absolutisation of the homo phaenomenon in the coronavirus discourse’ Forschung und Lehre 3/2021, p. 190 ff.
  Link
• Obituary for Rainer Zaczyk,‘ ’ JZ 2024, p. 937 ff.

• Member of the Advisory Board of the *Zeitschrift für Philosophie der Rechtswissenschaft*. New series (2017) Link
• Reviewer for the doctoral funding programme of the German National Academic Foundation (since 2016).
• Equal Opportunities Officer for the Faculty of Law at the University of Regensburg, member of the faculty board (2014–2023).
• Examiner for the First State Law Examination, Bavarian State Ministry of Justice (2014).
• Expert witness on the ‘Draft Act on the Prosecution of the Preparation of Serious Acts of Violence Endangering the State’ during the public hearing before the Legal Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag on 22 April 2009.
• Member of the Commission for the Development of Subject-Specific Foreign Language Training for Lawyers (FFA) at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (2009–2011).
• Expert assessor for the DAAD in connection with annual scholarships and academic exchange programmes with Latin America and Africa (since 2008).
• Member of the Working Group on International Criminal Law (since 2008).
• Member of the German Section of the International Association for Legal and Social Philosophy (IVR) e.V. (since 2008).
• Member of the Examination Board of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (2007–2013).