Overview

• Kathrin Pollnow and Klaus-Dieter Rose were first denied marriage registration in March 2023 when local officials questioned their capacity to consent under disability assessments.
• Over nearly two years the couple and their supporters submitted care records, medical documents and expert evaluations to challenge the refusal.
• In early 2025 the Amtsgericht Magdeburg ruled that the Standesamt must proceed with their wedding under German law and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• Regional disability authorities and the Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe described the case as unique in Germany, with no similar administrative denial of marriage for people with disabilities.
• At around 11 a.m. on August 9, 2025, Pollnow and Rose exchanged vows in Oschersleben’s town hall after 885 days of legal struggle, underscoring a victory for inclusion.