Die Abstraktheit der Vollmacht

'The Abstractness of the Authority under German Civil Law'

The principle of abstractness of the authority ('Vollmacht', i.e. the power of agency granted by a legal transaction) under German Civil Law is oftentimes ignored in practice and – on a closer look – ultimately dispensable. Starting from a historical and dogmatic point of view, this analysis shows that the protection of legal relations can be sufficiently and consistently achieved by means of the good faith protection rules laid down in Sec. 170 et seq. of the German Civil Code and legitimated under the principle of private autonomy. Different rules, however, apply to the general commercial power of representation ('Prokura').