Die Ausgleichung lebzeitiger Zuwendungen im Erbrecht

The collation of lifetime gifts, the German hotchpot rule, is intended to ensure equal treatment in succession law. Doctrinally, it is linked to the idea of portions (§ 1624 of the German Civil Code). From a historical and comparative perspective, it becomes clear that this concept and the doctrine have reached their limits and require reform.

Inheritance and gifting are, to a certain extent, functionally interchangeable. German inheritance law responds to this by providing for the collation of inter vivos transfers under § 2050(1) BGB, the underlying value judgments of which extend to the compulsory share through § 2316(1) BGB. In this way, certain lifetime transfers are subjected to inheritance-law concepts of equal treatment. This system, however, has increasingly come under criticism. Christoph Schoppe therefore reconstructs the doctrine of collation from historical, comparative, and doctrinal perspectives. The historical foundations that long supported the institution have largely been forgotten, making its present-day justification difficult. From a comparative perspective, England and Switzerland have faced similar challenges, but their responses are more advanced: while English intestate succession no longer provides for the collation of lifetime transfers, Swiss law relies on a far-reaching system of collation. This contrast raises the question of which path German law should pursue in the future. From a doctrinal standpoint, the central problem lies in the conceptualisation of what constitutes a “portion” under § 1624(1) BGB. The current definition’s indistinct contours, strong dependence on the subjective intent of the parents, and uncertain delineation from other transfers lead to outcomes that are difficult to predict. These uncertainties extend into the law around collation, rendering it both practically unwieldy and normatively questionable. Schoppe concludes by discussing possible options for reform de lege ferenda.

Erster Teil: Rechtsgeschichte
A. Die frühen Wurzeln der Ausgleichung
B. Die gemeinrechtliche Tradition und die Zivilrechtskodifikationen des späten 18. und des 19. Jahrhunderts
C. Die Genese der Vorschriften des BGB
D. Fazit zum ersten Teil: Rechtsgeschichte
Zweiter Teil: Rechtsvergleichung
A. Das schweizerische Recht
B. Das englische Recht
Dritter Teil: Rechtsdogmatik
A. Die Ausstattung als Objekt der Ausgleichung
B. Struktur des § 2050 BGB und ratio legis
Vierter Teil: Perspektiven
A. Exkurs I: Entwicklungsperspektiven des Familienrechts
B. Entwicklungsperspektiven der gesetzlichen Erbfolge
C. Exkurs II: Entwicklungsperspektiven des Pflichtteilsrechts

• By (author) Christoph Schoppe