On May 23, 2024, a formal state ceremony took place in Berlin to commemorate 75 years since the introduction of the Basic Law. Our client was the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI) and the state ceremony was mandated by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The event marked the ratification of the Basic Law by the Parliamentary Council on May 23, 1949. Its aim was to recognize the importance of the Basic Law as the foundation of German democracy and to place its values – Freedom, Justice and Human Dignity – at the heart of the commemoration.

The event was staged in the open air space between the Chancellor’s Office and Paul Loebe building. The 1,100 guests enjoyed an uninterrupted view of the Reichstag parliament, which served as a symbolic backdrop to the Federal President’s speech.

The occasion demanded the highest levels of security, precision, and staging as all five of Germany’s constitutional bodies were in attendance. What’s more, the public broadcaster ZDF televised proceedings live across the nation.
POOLgroup needed to seamlessly combine the technical, organizational, and broadcast workflows. And at very short notice, the technical infrastructure also had to be designed in such a way that it could be reused for the subsequent Festival of Democracy.

The POOLcrew took over the entire organization of the event as well as specialist technical planning and production for the state commemoration. This included:

• event design and production, including scheduling and coordination,
• all audio technology, lighting, rigging, media technology & IT,
• construction of stages and exhibition spaces as well as event infrastructure,
• conference and interpreter technology for international guests,
• event design, content creation, and content management.

A two-part stage was designed for the state commemoration.
Central to the event was the main stage for the Federal President’s address, which praised the Basic Law and its 75-year legacy.
At the same time, a second stage was built for the Berlin Philharmonic – a globally celebrated ensemble whose performance demanded tailored technical solutions and the highest level of artistic refinement
The performance required precise technical coordination across acoustics, staging, and sound.
The Philharmonic’s stage was subsequently reused for the Festival of Democracy – an example of forward-looking planning and sustainable staging.

example of forward-looking planning and sustainable staging.

In addition, POOLgroup produced two films that were shown during the state commemoration:

• A film featuring well-known voices that recited passages from the Basic Law – these included Verona Bähr, Dunja Hayali, Luisa Neubauer, Wolfgang Thierse, Olaf Scholz, and, most notably, Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer.
• The second film, “All State Authority Derives from the People,” featured the inhabitants of Bonn, Frankfurt, and Weimar, places central to Germany’s constitutional history, and emotionally connected the past and present.

POOLgroup also designed and produced the stage composition, decoration, and seating – all closely coordinated with the Office of the Federal President, the BMI’s Domestic Protocol Department, and the security services.

Both the guests and TV audience enjoyed a celebratory, moving, and dignified commemoration. Music, film segments, and speeches merged into an occasion that not only honored the Basic Law but also highlighted it as the living foundation of democracy.

By planning and staging the state commemoration, POOLGroup demonstrated its proficiency in high-level political events, where precision, discretion, and symbolism must seamlessly intertwine.
The project achieved high visibility, both nationally and internationally. Media and stakeholders rated it outstanding in terms of technology, organization, and content.