Court Rules Cologne Square Can Be Named After Dirk Bach

The decision settles a legal dispute over naming rights between the city council and local district authorities.

The North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Administrative Court upheld a ruling allowing Cologne's Innenstadt district to name a square after Dirk Bach.
The legal dispute centered on a previously unnamed space near the Cologne Schauspielhaus, informally called Kleiner Offenbachplatz.
The district has sought to honor Bach, a Cologne native and celebrated entertainer, since 2022, while the city council opposed the move.
The court's decision confirms the district's authority over naming rights and makes the ruling final and legally binding.
Dirk Bach, known for his theater work and as a host of RTL's 'Dschungelcamp,' passed away in 2012 and is buried in Cologne.