We Are The Bürokratiemonster

Great you are here.

We are Fleur, Justus and Robin. We don't want to make anyone's life difficult. We are here because we protect what is otherwise lost - environmental protection, rule of law, human rights. Sounds terrible? It is. But someone has to do it. As of late we feel many people don't like us anymore. We are being insulted. From the press, politicians and people on the street. We understand that a bit. Yes, we really do. Complicated procedures, long waiting times, lots of rules: bureaucracy can be annoying. Sometimes it annoys us too.

But without rules, the ones shouting loudest are always right. That's why we come out of our archives, offices and bubbles. We want to tell why we are here - and why we have to stay. We want to explain what bureaucracy is and help people appreciate that it is the foundation of modern society. Without bureaucracy nothing would work...

I am Fleur

I love everything that lives - really everything. Worms, birds, pastures, even mosquitoes (on a good day). But what we do to nature, whether deliberately or through carelessness, pains me deeply. I see habitats disappearing, species dying, soil being poisoned - and I ask myself: what are we actually doing? We aren't separate to nature. We are part of it! Sometimes I feel we would be in a better place, if more people could appreciate the beauty of nature. I advocate for stronger rules to protect what is left. These sometimes cause a bit of bureaucracy.

Environment is close to my heart

My name is Justus

I am committed to the rule of law. Because what is justice based on? On rules. Not on gut feeling, political power or level of noise - but on procedures that apply to everyone. They are the only thing that prevents arbitrariness. Of course, law is complicated. But that can be sensible. After all we live in an increasingly complex society!

Rule of law is at all times in my head

Hi, this is Robin

I fight for human rights because I know what it feels like when they just don't exist. Due diligence regulation for corporations across the globe is essential to combat child and forced labour. I believe in a world in which everyone is treated with the same dignity - regardless of language, origin or wealth. Self-determination must not be a privilege for the rich and powerful. Injustice drives me nuts. At times also with bureaucracy. Because some procedures exist only to make the life of those with less political power more complicated. I want an administration that is human. And that doesn't allow the most vulnerable to fall through the cracks. Let's pick up those who are lying on the ground - instead of stepping on them.

Human rights is everything I fight for

And what happened to us…

We just found our way onto the web. We haven’t seen the light of the day for a while. We don’t really know where and when, but we were taken into a dark basement and told to shut up.

Someone let us out, and now we have to go to Brussels in an Omnibus! There will be a decision on what it will be done with us. We hope we can stay and live freely, but right now it seems we face deportation. They want to kick us out of the European Union to… well… we don’t really know yet...

We are sad, because Europe is fighting the wrong monsters. We are here to help. Look at us, aren’t we nice? But there are other evil monsters out there, beware!...

Our Projects

Bus to Brussels We have to go to Brussels! In an Omnibus! The German government and the big business lobbies want to kill all of what we fought for over years and years. Not so cool! But we remain upbeat and will need you.
Das Bürokratiepapier Here you will find our first publication. We explain what bureaucracy is and where it comes from.
List of publications on bureaucracy Bureaucracy bashing is very one-sided. However, we advocate a differentiated discussion. That is why we are put together a list of differentiated publications on bureaucracy. Please feel free to contribute.

A bus with the Bürokratiemonsters on their way to Brussels

And a little bit of context

We know we are not very well liked. Actually loathed and hated by many. We can show you so many letters we receive, where people express their disgust at us. Yet they don’t seem to realise that it is us that helps society as a whole function.

Imagine anyone could drive a car without a license. Anyone could build a house wherever they wanted. Anyone could dump rubbish wherever they felt like it. No, not good. We need some rules and regulation that come with bureaucracy to organise ourselves as society. Otherwise, there’s chaos.

But we agree, not all bureaucracy is great. Some totally non-sensical. We have a racist brother, who get's a lot of traction lately to make life for refugees as terribly as possible.

It is ok to look solution to make our life simpler. Less paperwork, less bureaucracy. But let's have a sensible discussion and not jump straight for deregulation. We understand that bureaucracy is annoying, but some of it serves an important purpose. We are ready to talk to you.

If we are gone, you will be gone soon after us...

There’s a bunch to read…

Human rights bureaucracy

Human rights bureaucracy is the administrative apparatus responsible for upholding human rights standards and promoting their realization.

June 12, 2025