- The Munich Regional Court ruled that the term "Gollum" can be offensive.
- The decision is based on a complaint by a scientist concerned.
- The name in a flyer comes from a citizens' movement.
- Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings" is a character with negative connotations.
- The use of the name here was derogatory.
- There was no satirical context.
- The news shows what German courts are dealing with.
As a self-confessed “Lord of the Rings” fan, I simply had to post a blog article on a recent decision by the Munich Regional Court.
The court ruled that calling a person “Gollum” can be insulting and thus violate the right of personality of the person concerned. (25 O 12738/22).
The scientist in question had been appropriately named by a citizens’ movement in a flyer, the report said. The reason for this, he said, was that the Tokien novel character Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings” is not a being with a positive connotation. Therefore, the designation “Gollum” had been disparaging in the specific case. There was also no satirical context in the facts of the case.
Once again a news item in the matter of “What German courts do not have to deal with all”.
