Event date: 1 January 2024. This retrospective was published on 16 October 2026. The reform of German partnership law introduced a register for civil-law partnerships, known as Gesellschaftsregister.
What changed?
Registered partnerships use the designation “eingetragene Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts” or “eGbR”. Researchers should treat the partnership register as a distinct register type.
What does this mean for research?
Ask for the complete register reference when researching an eGbR. Assuming an HRB reference would point to the wrong register type. Older documents may use different names, so keep dates with the relevant wording. This article looks back at the introduction; it does not report a new change in October 2026.