Statutes
§ 1 Name And Headquarters
(1) The name of the association is "Rabenclan - Study Group For Heathens In Germany".
(2) The headquarters of the association is in Darmstadt, currently registered at the District Court of Darmstadt, registration number: 64283
§ 2 Objectives
(1) The association has the purpose to:
a) practice pagan religions according to the preamble.
b) achieve legal and social acceptance for all traditions, cultures, religions and world views represented by the association as religious groups within the meaning of the constitution.
c) maintain and protect natural monuments and religious sites, especially those of pre-Christian time.
d) promote ritual celebrations at suitable outdoor places.
e) publish an own magazine in order to inform about events and general developments within the natural religious scene as well as in order to keep contact with the members.
f) explain and inform about the association's objectives and thus help avoiding a negative appearance in the public
g) promote and help natural religious groups and persons who - for reasons of personal job and living conditions - experience difficulties in practicing their religion.
h) cooperate with groups /circles/associations with similar aims.
i) cooperate with representatives or members of other natural religions throughout the world
k) promote a lifestyle as ecological and as close to nature as possible by supporting ecological agriculture, biological building methods, integrated medicine as well as factories and trading groups who produce and sell ecologically desirable goods.
(2) The association considers itself to be a non-profit organization within the meaning of German tax law.
(3) The objectives of the association as defined above shall be supported and realized in a primarily cultural context by:
a) collecting and making use of existing results of research and by promoting further research in the fields of archaeology, sociology, ethnology, anthropology, linguistics, pre- and ancient history and various other research projects working on European pre- and non-Christian cultures and religions and their roots. This covers a period reaching from the era of pre-Indo-European megalith via Indo-European immigration and the new cultures resulting from it, such as German, Celtic and Mediterranean cultures, to the time of Christianization with its effects on the aforementioned cultures, up to now. On a religious level, Rabenclan refers to those natural religions of more or less animistic character belonging to these cultures. Rabenclan represents and promotes these religions in the public.
b) collecting and using the existing knowledge and by gaining further theoretical and practical knowledge concerning handicraft and arts cultures and religions mentioned in a)
c) collecting and using existing results of research and promote further research in the fields of integrated and natural courses of psychological and physiological treatment and medicine on the basis of the religions mentioned in a) and within the bound of the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.
d) collecting and making use of existing knowledge and gaining further theoretical and practical knowledge about everyday life of the cultures mentioned in a), especially concerning musical history, customs, way of life, community spirit and family life.
e) representing, imparting and using all the knowledge mentioned in a) to d) by means of available opportunities as far as appropriate, e.g. lectures, seminars, media presence, practical demonstrations, within the scope of respectable and responsible public relations work
f) engaging in competent and responsible youth work
g) building new and promoting existing locations as far as they present the cultures and religions represented by Rabenclan and enable the association to meet religious and cultural requirements of its members. This includes start and promotion of projects relating to protection of historic monuments (for example redevelopment, restoration and protection of pagan cult sites).
§ 3 Concept Of The Association
(1) The association shall be realized through the aims as mentioned in § 2.
(2) The association shall act selflessly. It shall not primarily pursue economic interests of its own
§ 4 Financial Resources And Budget
(1) The resources of the association may only be used for the purposes and aims defined in these statutes. For their membership, members shall not receive any grants taken from the association?s resources.
(2) No person or entity shall be favored by expenditures adverse to the association?s purposes or by excessive compensation.
§ 5 Financial Year
The financial year shall start at the 1st of November of each calendar year and end at the 31st of October of the following calendar year.
§ 6 Membership
(1) Natural persons and legal entities supporting the aims of the association as defined in § 2 and in the preamble may become members o the association.
(2) Membership and honorary membership are principally denied to:
(a) legal entities or natural persons who can be proven to have violated human rights
(b) legal entities or natural persons who's aims fail to correspond with the fundamental rights as granted by the Constitution Of The Federal Republic Of Germany
(c) legal entities or natural persons who fail to support the objectives of the association.
(d) legal entities who psychologically pressurize their members, e.g. in order to make them remain members
(e) legal entities who expect their members to pay excessive contributions
(f) legal entities or natural persons who expect excessive returns of any kind for tuition or for their religious actions.
(3) Membership is acquired by admission into the association.
(4) A natural person's membership shall be terminated by death, a legal entity's membership shall be terminated by dissolution, liquidation or bankruptcy.
§ 6a Honorary Membership
(1) The annual general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting may bestow honorary membership on the basis of a simple majority. The appointed person must accept the honorary membership.
(2) Any natural person who made a great contribution to the aims of the association as described in § 2 or to the association itself may become a honorary member, this in accordance with § 6 section 2.
(3) Honorary members may speak and make applications on annual general meetings and on extraordinary general meetings but shall not be allowed to vote unless they hold regular membership of the association.
(4) The regulations in § 7 section 1 to 3 shall not apply to honorary members.
(5) There is no legal claim for honorary membership.
§ 7 Admission Of Members
(1) A written application for membership is necessary to become a member.
(2) The managing committee decides on the admission of a member.
(3) Objection against denied admission may be filed in writing to the managing committee within a month after rejection. The annual general or the next extraordinary general meeting shall then make a final decision about the application for membership. Simple majority shall be sufficient.
(4) After resigning from the association a former member may re-enter 12 months after the date of his or her resignation at the earliest.
(5) There is no legal claim for admission.
§ 8 Termination Of Membership
(1) Every member or honorary member shall be entitled to terminate his or her membership by resignation.
(2) Resignation shall be possible at the end of each month after a notice period of two weeks.
(3) Resignation shall be announced to the managing committee in writing. The date of post mark shall be authoritative for the begin of the notice period.
§ 9 Exclusion Of Members
(1) Membership may also be terminated by exclusion.
(2) A natural person or legal entity may be expelled for
(a) one of the reasons for exclusion given in § 6. (b) any other important reason.
(3) Exclusion shall be adjudicated upon during an extraordinary general meeting or at the annual general meeting. Simple majority shall be sufficient.
(4) The proposal for exclusion shall be announced with the convening of the general meeting which shall be sufficient information to the respective member or honorary member to be excluded.
(5) The respective member or honorary member may give a written or spoken statement.
(6) Exclusion shall be effective after the general meeting passed relevant resolution.
(7) In case the respective member or honorary member is not present at the general meeting, he or she shall be notified of the exclusion in writing.
(8) The resolution of the general meeting shall be final and formal objection not allowed.
§ 10 Cancellation Of Membership
(1) A membership may also be terminated by cancellation.
(2) Cancellation occurs as soon as a member falls three months behind with payment of the membership fees and has not settled the arrear within four weeks after a written reminder.
(3) Cancellation shall be effective by decision of the managing committee.
§ 11 Membership Fee
(1) A membership fee shall be charged.
(2) The amount of the membership fee shall be determined at the annual general meeting.
(3) The membership fee shall be graded. The grading mode shall be determined by resolution passed at the annual general meeting.
(4) The membership fee shall include the costs of the association's periodical published at least once a year.
§ 12 Elements Of The Association
(1) The elements of the association comprise
(a) the managing committee
(b) the advisory committee
(c) the annual general meeting
(d) the extraordinary general meeting.
(2) Simultaneous membership in the managing committee and the advisory committee shall be not allowed.
§ 13 The Managing Committee
(1) The managing committee shall be elected biannually during the annual general meeting and shall remain in office until the statutory election of the next managing committee. The managing committee in office may be reelected. Only natural persons who are members of the association shall be eligible for office in the managing committee.
(2) The managing committee shall consist of the first chairperson, the second chairperson, the third chairperson and two assessors.
(3) The general meeting may under certain circumstances decide to enlarge the managing committee. This enlargement shall then be registered as a change of the statutes at the local district court.
(4) Should there be a large number of young members, the managing committee may be extended by a youth representative.
(5) A number of two members of the managing committee shall be necessary to officially represent the association.
(6) Upon written invitation, legal entities that are members of the association may send one representative as an observer to the managing committee meetings. This representative shall not be entitled to vote.
(7) Members of the executive committee may be voted out of their office at the annual general meeting or at an extraordinary general meeting. For the new election, a new meeting shall be convened with the new election listed as an agenda item in the written invitation. The new meeting shall take place at least four weeks and twelve weeks at the latest after the first meeting. Should the whole managing committee have been voted out, the general meeting shall elect a provisional managing committee which shall be officiating until the new election.
§ 13a Special Representatives
(1) For special fields of activity, the managing committee may appoint one or more special representatives according to § 30 BGB.
(2) The special fields of activity are:
(a) cash management
(b) business administration
(c) office work
(d) media and public relations
(e) member support
(f) organization and conducting of events
(g) editorial and printing of the association's periodicals and newsletters
(h) technical and editorial supervision of the association's internet projects.
(3) The appointment of special representatives shall not limit the representative power of the managing committee. For legal transactions with third parties special representatives shall require written authorization of two members of the managing committee. Internal matters and member data revealed to special representatives shall be treated by them with professional discretion during as well as after their activities.
(4) Upon request by the managing committee the special representatives shall report about plans and results of their activities. The special representatives shall be entitled to speak at the managing committee meetings.
(5) Special representatives may be recalled by the managing committee at any time.
§ 13b Advisory Committee
(1) The annual general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting may elect an advisory committee.
(2) The advisory committee shall consist of at least three but no more than seven persons. The members of the advisory committee shall be elected individually for a duration of two years by the general meeting or the extraordinary general meeting. Regarding the terms of election and voting-out § 13,1, 3 and 7 shall apply.
(3) Members of the advisory committee shall not need to be members of the association.
(4) The advisory committee shall provide advice and proposals to the executive committee regarding support and assistance matters as well as the aims defined in § 2.
(5) The advisory committee members shall elect one of them to act as their speaker and one deputy speaker.
§ 14 Limitations Of The Representative Power Of The Executive Committee
With effect on third parties the representative power of the executive committee shall be limited in such a way (§ 26, 2, 2, BGB) that the consent of the simple majority of the general meeting shall be required for acquisition, sale, mortgaging and all other activities regarding real estate (or the rights equivalent to real property) as well as for taking out a loan.
§ 15 The Annual General Meeting
(1) The annual general meeting shall be held once a year, preferably towards the end of the business year (October 31st).
(2) The meeting as well as the agenda topics shall be announced in writing at least four weeks ahead. An announcement in due time in the association's periodical shall be sufficient.
(3) The convening shall be deemed delivered if it has been sent to the recipient's last address known to the association.
(4) The managing committee and the account examiners shall be elected biannually during the general meeting.
(5) Further agenda topics shall be:
(a) the annual report
(b) the cash report
(c) the discharge of the managing committee by the members of the association
(d) the determination of the membership fee
§ 16 The Extraordinary General Meeting
(1) An extraordinary general meeting may be convened if
(a) there is disagreement about the acceptance of an applicant
(b) the decision on the exclusion of a member or honorary member needs to be taken,
(2) An extraordinary general meeting shall be convened if:
(a) at least 20 percent of the members have required it in writing.
(b) a member of the managing committee has resigned. The meeting must be held within three months after the resignation.
(c) the interest of the association demands it.
§ 17 Mode of Convening
(1) The executive meeting shall convene the extraordinary meeting in writing at least four weeks before the scheduled date. The agenda topics shall be announced. An announcement in due time in the periodical of the association is sufficient.
(2) The convening is regarded as delivered if it has been sent to the last address that is known to the association.
§ 18 Quorum
(1) Every annual general meeting or extraordinary general meeting convened in proper form shall be a quorum, regardless of the number of members in attendance entitled to vote.
(2) The association may only be dissolved during an extraordinary general meeting convened exclusively for that purpose.
§ 19 Passing of a Resolution
(1) It shall be common to vote openly by show of hands. Upon request of at least six members in attendance and entitled to vote, a secret, written vote shall be taken.
(2) Simple majority of all members in attendance and entitled to vote shall be sufficient for decision. Every natural person and legal entity shall have one vote only.
(3) Only persons older than 14 years of age shall be entitled to vote. Exceptions may be made for voting within youth groups.
(4) Amendments to the statutes shall require a three-quarter majority of the members in attendance and entitled to vote.
(5) Dissolution of the association shall require a four-fifth majority of the members in attendance and entitled to vote.
§ 20 Minutes
(1) Minutes of the annual general meetings and of the extraordinary general meetings shall be taken by two secretaries appointed at the beginning of the meeting.
(2) The minutes shall be signed by one of the two secretaries and by the chairman. If the chairman changes during the meeting, the minutes shall be signed by the chairman who is in charge at the end of the meeting. As an alternative, two members of the executive committee may sign.
(3) Objections against the minutes shall be raised in writing to the managing committee within one month after publication of the minutes. The next annual general meeting or extraordinary general meeting shall decide on the objections.
(4) Minutes of all meetings of the association as far as held in proper form shall be made available for the members to inspect.
§ 21 Dissolution of the Association
(1) According to § 18, 2 and § 19, 5, the association may be dissolved during an extraordinary general meeting.
(2) The managing committee shall act as liquidator.
(3) After dissolution of the association or after discontinuation of the non-profit purposes of the association, the assets of the association shall be given to a non-profit organization with aims corresponding with those of the association. This requires the consent of the fiscal authorities.
Minutes dated October 29th, 1994, listed as no. 758 in the Register of Associations at the District Court Warendorf on January 1st, 1995. The association is listed as no. 3057 in the Register of Associations at the District Court Darmstadt since August 10th, 2001. Amended on January 27th, 1996. Further amendments taken during the general meetings on November 1st, 1997, October 31st, 1998, November 1st, 1999, November 11th, 2002, July 26th, 2003 and November 8th, 2003. (The amendments dated July 26th, 2003 and November 8th, 2003 still need to be registered at the District Court Darmstadt).
