Germany as law-exporting nation is a worldwide role model especially for its criminal law and criminal procedure law which has influenced several East Asian countries. The author offers a short historical overview on the establishment of the rule of law in Germany. He describes the role of the German Federal Constitution as source of criminal procedure law by referring to fundamental constitutional principles as well as giving specific case examples. The second part of the essay focuses on the relevance and application of the European Convention on Human Rights. The author points out basic principles of the European Convention on Human Rights and illustrates its influence on German legal practice.