Overview

• On July 8–9, 2025 the Oberverwaltungsgericht Münster overturned an April ruling and barred the Stadtbücherei Münster from attaching warnings to books that dispute the moon landing or atomic bombings.
• The decision is final and non-appealable under case number 5 B 451/25.
• The court held that evaluative notices impose a negative connotation on authors’ views, violating their freedom of expression and personality rights.
• The OVG underscored the principle of reader autonomy by stating that users must be free to form their own opinions without institutional guidance.
• The Stadtbücherei Münster must immediately remove the 2024 warnings from the contested titles.