Institute for Eastern Law e. V. | Regensburg & Library

The Institute for Eastern Law e. V. in Regensburg is a scientifically oriented institution with a long history, a clear research mission, and a special position within the Regensburg scientific network. Those searching for the IOR are often looking for not just a name, but an institution with substance: research on the legal systems of Eastern Europe, well-founded publications, a specialized library, scientific events, and a close connection to the University of Regensburg. Since moving from Munich to Regensburg in 2007, the location has developed into an important hub for Eastern European and legal research. Today, the institute is located at Landshuter Straße 4, operates within the Science Center for Eastern and Southeastern Europe Regensburg, and has been an affiliated institute of the University of Regensburg since 2026. This connects the IOR's historical continuity with current scientific presence, making it equally interesting for researchers, students, and professionals. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/))

Institute for Eastern Law: From Munich to Regensburg

The Institute for Eastern Law was founded in 1957 by Prof. Reinhard Maurach as a legally capable association. The official history of the house emphasizes that this founding can be understood as a continuation of the Law Department of the non-university Eastern Europe Institute in Breslau, which existed from 1918 to 1944. Thus, the institute has been part of a long tradition of Eastern European legal research from the very beginning, which does not focus solely on individual countries or specific issues, but understands legal development, legal practice, and legal science as a coherent research area. For decades, the IOR was based in Munich. There, it developed its professional identity before moving to Regensburg in 2007. This step was not merely a change of location but part of a larger reorganization of non-university Eastern European research in Bavaria. Together with other Munich institutions of Eastern European research, the IOR moved to Regensburg and participated in the establishment of the interdisciplinary Science Center for Eastern and Southeastern Europe Regensburg, abbreviated as WiOS. This made Regensburg the institutional center of a broader research landscape where law, history, philology, and social sciences collaborate more closely. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/ueber-uns/geschichte/))

The current address underscores this development: The institute is located at Landshuter Straße 4 in Regensburg; the imprint additionally mentions Building 44. The historical account explicitly states that the premises are only a few minutes away from the main train station, making the location easily accessible for visitors. The significance of the move to Regensburg is also highlighted by the fact that the institute does not work in isolation but is embedded in an academic environment that significantly enhances its activities. The official website describes the relationship with the University of Regensburg since 2007 as close and since 2026 as further institutionally upgraded, as the institute is now allowed to call itself an affiliated institute of the University of Regensburg. This is important for its external representation: The IOR is not an event center with ticket logic but a specialized research institute whose strength lies in continuity, expertise, and networking. This combination of history, location, and scientific connectivity shapes its current character. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/ueber-uns/))

Country Reports, Expert Opinions, and International Legal Cooperation

The core of the work of the Institute for Eastern Law lies in the systematic research of the legal systems in the formerly socialist states of Eastern Europe. The official self-representation explicitly mentions not only the legal system itself but also legal practice and legal science as subjects of investigation. This is important because the IOR does not merely read normative texts but considers the creation, application, and development of law in a larger social and political context. The institute's tasks also include disseminating research results in Germany and abroad, participating in international legal cooperation, and strengthening scientific exchange and international relations in all areas of the legal field. Additionally, it conducts comprehensive basic research and project research, collects legal literature from and about the research area, prepares legal opinions for courts, authorities, companies, and individuals, and provides information on the law of Eastern European states. This combination makes the institute a bridge between academic research and practical legal information. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/))

Particularly characteristic is the division into country reports. The institute follows a tradition that dates back to the Law Department of the Eastern Europe Institute in Breslau. The official website describes this structure as a synoptic-geographical study of legal development in Eastern Europe, which is unique in the world in this form. Practically, this means that the country representatives are recognized specialists in the legal systems of the states they observe, speak the languages of their research area fluently, and possess deep legal and country knowledge. The website lists numerous country reports, including Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Caucasus, Kosovo, Croatia, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, and Central Asia. This breadth explains why the institute can cover so many different legal developments in its content. Particularly for questions related to Eastern European law, legal comparison, and current developments, the IOR is thus a highly specialized center. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/))

Library and Reading Room in the Science Center for Eastern and Southeastern Europe

A central feature of the Institute for Eastern Law is its library. It is not designed as a classic lending library but as a reference and open-access library with a scientific focus. The library page describes that the institute collects legal literature from and about Eastern Europe and has built up a collection over decades that is among the largest of its kind in the Federal Republic and contains some unique works in Germany. By the end of 2020, the library comprised about 31,000 monographic units. Additionally, there is a particularly important infrastructural advantage: The Institute for Eastern Law and the Leibniz Institute for Eastern and Southeastern European Research Regensburg operate a joint reading room that is open to users. The library is also part of the Bavarian Library Network and a member of the working group of libraries and documentation centers for Eastern, Central Eastern, and Southeastern European research. For researchers, this means a solid integration into the library landscape. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/bibliothek/))

The rules for use are clear: Lending and interlibrary loans are not possible because the holdings are maintained as a reference collection. However, workspaces are available in the reading room, personal laptops and scanners can generally be used, and paid copies or copy orders are possible. Those researching the holdings will find most of the material electronically documented in the Regensburg catalog; for older holdings, paper-based catalogs can be consulted at the institute. The collection focuses on legal literature, while cooperation with other libraries in the Science Center avoids duplicate acquisitions and creates synergies. Particularly interesting is the extent of the laws, regulations, and announcements documented for countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Croatia, Austria, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Serbia. Thus, anyone who wants to understand the Institute for Eastern Law not just as a name but as a workplace must also consider the library: it is the backbone of the scientific profile. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/bibliothek/))

Publications of the Institute for Eastern Law: Yearbook, WiRO, and Chronicles

The publication work is as formative for the Institute for Eastern Law as the research itself. The official page mentions several of its own publication series: the Studies of the Institute for Eastern Law, the Yearbook for Eastern Law, the Handbook of Economy and Law in Eastern Europe, as well as the monthly Chronicle of Legal Development in Eastern Europe and the Chronicle of Jurisprudence in Eastern Europe. In addition, the institute is the publisher of the specialized journal Economy and Law in Eastern Europe, abbreviated as WiRO. These titles illustrate very well how the IOR operates: not just with individual contributions but with ongoing, systematically structured formats that document, categorize, and make legal developments accessible to a professional audience. The combination of scientific depth and regular updates is particularly valuable for an institution focused on Eastern Europe, as legal situations, legislations, and jurisprudence in the observed states often change dynamically. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/forschung/publikationen/))

The Yearbook for Eastern Law is the most traditional of these series. Since its founding in 1957, the institute has published this yearbook, which includes essays on current legal issues in Eastern Europe, including their references to international and European law, commented documentation of important laws and court decisions, expert opinions from the IOR, and reviews. Since 1979, it has additionally provided a country-wise overview of the legal developments of the previous year. Contributions appear in German, English, and French, underscoring the international ambition. The editorial team also emphasizes that not only Eastern Europe is reported on, but that authors from the region itself should also have a voice. Since 1994, the yearbook has been published by C.H. Beck; until 2018, it appeared in two half-volumes per year, and since 2019, in one issue per year. Anyone seriously interested in Eastern European law will find one of the most important ongoing sources of the institute here. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/forschung/publikationen/jahrbuch-fuer-ostrecht/))

Training, Young Talent Promotion, and Events

Although the Institute for Eastern Law is a non-university institution and thus primarily remains committed to research, training plays a significant role. The official training page states that the scientific director and the staff of the institute regularly hold courses at domestic and foreign universities. In addition, the IOR is active in the training of legal trainees, interns, and in supervising dissertations, master's theses, and similar scientific works. That the institute is a member of the Graduate School for Eastern and Southeastern European Studies at the University of Regensburg further shows how strongly the promotion of young talent and scientific networking are intertwined. For students and young researchers, the IOR is therefore not only a place for reading but also a place for academic support. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/ausbildung/))

Additionally, there is a vibrant event program. The institute's homepage regularly publishes current announcements regarding panel discussions, lectures, conferences, and expert contributions. An example is the hybrid panel discussion “Georgia at a Crossroads: Recent Legislation, Rule of Law and Geopolitical Perspectives,” which was held on June 30, 2026, in collaboration with the University of Regensburg and the Catholic University Community Regensburg, taking place both on-site at Landshuter Straße 4 and online. Other current contributions also show that the institute engages with the rule of law, democracy, Eastern Europe, and current reform processes and publicly discusses these topics. This is particularly evident in ongoing third-party funded projects such as “Restorative Justice in Ukraine” or “Stable Legal Systems in the Western Balkans.” Thus, the institute does not remain in historical analysis but connects research, public engagement, and the present. Therefore, anyone looking for an academically grounded institution with Eastern European expertise will find here an institute that not only archives and publishes but also actively debates and mediates. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/))

Address, Contact, and Practical Information

For practical orientation, the contact page of the institute is clear: The Institute for Eastern Law e. V. is located at Landshuter Straße 4 in 93047 Regensburg; the imprint additionally mentions Building 44. There, telephone numbers, fax, and email addresses are provided, making it easier to contact for scientific inquiries, library questions, or general feedback. The historical account adds that the location is only a few minutes from the main train station. This is particularly helpful for visitors, as it makes the institute well-connected not only academically but also logistically. Anyone with an appointment at the IOR should therefore keep in mind the central location in Regensburg and the proximity to the train station. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/ueber-uns/))

It is also practically important that the IOR does not function as a classic event location with a seating plan and ticket sales. Its strength lies rather in the scientific everyday life: library, reading room, expert opinions, publications, events, and collaborations. The official website emphasizes the institutional connection, research activities, and contact possibilities. Specific visitor parking is not highlighted there; therefore, those traveling should best orient themselves to the central location in Regensburg and the good accessibility via the main train station. For those searching for “Institute for Eastern Law Munich” or “Institute for Eastern Law Regensburg,” this combination of historical name and current location is important: The institute carries the historical Munich origin in its name and today operates as a Regensburg research institute with nationwide and international outreach. Thus, an address becomes a professional reference point that has significance far beyond the city limits. ([ostrecht.de](https://www.ostrecht.de/ueber-uns/))

Sources:

• Institute for Eastern Law - Homepage
• Institute for Eastern Law - About Us
• Institute for Eastern Law - History
• Institute for Eastern Law - Library
• Institute for Eastern Law - Publications
• Institute for Eastern Law - Yearbook for Eastern Law
• Institute for Eastern Law - Training
• WiOS Regensburg - Library and Joint Reading Room