As of: February 26, 2024, 11:59 a.m
By: Boris Forstner
Comments
Press
Split
The city does not have to announce that Barbara Karg received the Ring of Honor around a year ago.
© Herald
The Golden Ring of Honor is the second highest award in the city of Schongau after honorary citizenship.
However, the city administration does not disclose the names of all the people honored so far and refers to data protection.
We asked around.
Schongau
– Erwin Krauthauf will soon be awarded the city’s Golden Ring of Honor for his services to the Schongau Music School.
For last week's portrait of Krauthauf, we also listed the names of all living Ring of Honor bearers.
But we researched the names ourselves - the city has refused to release the names for years, citing data protection issues: Even if the honor has been awarded once, that doesn't mean that the names of the Ring of Honor recipients can be released later. was the argument.
As a result, we even forgot a name when we listed it a few years ago.
Inquiry with the data protection officer
We now wanted to know exactly and sent a request to Thomas Petri, the state commissioner for data protection.
After an email request, it came to the editorial office by post.
According to the letter from Petri's office, you can only give a binding answer if you have all the circumstances on site that you are not aware of.
But: “The position taken by the municipality does not seem unreasonable to me.”
When it comes to awarding rings of honor, personal data would always be published.
The city needs a legal basis for this - otherwise it would be an illegal interference with the informal right of self-determination of those affected.
“This also applies to outgoing or former city councilors, as they are also protected by the General Data Protection Regulation - regardless of whether the information about the award has already been made known in the past (for example via the press attending the award ceremony and afterwards reported).”
First published, then under lock and key
This means: Even if the local newspaper, for example, reported in December 2022 about the awarding of the Golden Ring of Honor to the long-standing SPD city councilor Barbara Karg, which had previously been announced via invitation, the information is then kept under wraps.
According to the data protection officer, the award itself can be based on the general processing authority, which allows personal data to be processed by a public body if it is necessary, which is the case with a current honor when a ring of honor recipient has made a special contribution to the city has.
“No legal provision identified”
However, passing on the names of all Ring of Honor holders to the press is another independent data transmission.
“I cannot see any legal provision that assigns the municipalities the task of releasing a list of the names of all living Ring of Honor holders to the press,” the letter says.
This is particularly true if the honor was awarded a long time ago and is therefore not a current report.
My news
Housing modules for refugees: Hohenfurch local council agrees on location read
Serious accident on B472: woman from Schongauer falls over herself reading the car
Blue light ticker for the Weilheim-Schongau region: Fire brigade deployment due to heavy smoke development in a residential building
When a bomber crashed near Denklingen 80 years ago - the windows were still clinking in Schwabbruck
Fatal traffic accident on the B2 near Hechendorf – police give new details
Compatibility of work and family: This employer allows children to read with them in the office
The only possible legal basis is that every Ring of Honor bearer agrees that his name may be published by the city.
Although the press can also inquire about age or marriage anniversaries in the population register, i.e. 90th birthdays or golden weddings, information about honors cannot be obtained there.