Elfie Donnelly The inventor of Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg The talking elephant and the little witch made her famous: Austrian author Elfie Donnelly. As the creator of Bibi Blocksberg and Benjamin Blümchen , she has inspired millions of children (and…
Perkeo - Germany's Trade Mark No. 1 "Perkeo": The first registered DE trade mark When the Imperial Patent Office (as the DPMA was then called) was founded in 1877, it was not yet responsible for registering trade marks. “Factory marks” or ‘trademarks’, as they were…
Questions around Patents Further topics Questions about WIPO DAS Here you will find a selection of frequently asked questions on patent protection What is a ‘patent claim’? Patent claims define the scope of protection of your patent. You should therefore draft them…
Questions about Trade Marks Here you will find a selection of frequently asked questions and answers on trade mark protection How can you contribute to the speedy processing of your trade mark application? If you pay your fees on time and comply with important formal…
Questions around utility models Here you will find a selection of frequently asked questions on utility model protection What are the differences between a utility model and a patent? Technical inventions can be protected by both patents and utility models. Please…
Questions about WIPO DAS Here you will find a selection of frequently asked questions and answers on the subject of (electronic) priority documents What is a priority document? A priority document is the copy of an earlier application certified as correct by the…
Fees Further topics Misleading Requests for Payment Patent fees Utility Model fees Trade mark fees Design fees Payment Transactions Information on all fees for the filing of IP applications and the renewal of IP rights is available here: Patents Utility models Trade…
Notices of the President Notice No. 3/2026 of the President of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office of 28 October 2026 concerning the opening hours of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office from 24 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 Notice No. 2/2026 of the…
Star Wars: Use the Force (of IP)! The Empire and IP May the Force be with you! Fans around the world celebrate Star Wars Day on 4 May. Why this particular date? Well, the pronunciation of the date ‘May the 4th’ is very similar to the beginning of what is arguably the…
Accessibility The German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) endeavours to make its websites accessible, based on the national laws on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Act on Equal Opportunities for…