Countersign (legal)

Countersignature, historically also Contra signature is required for the validity of a document issued by a head of state additional signature of the responsible Minister or Government.

Importance was the countersignature with the parliamentary control in the constitutional monarchy, as the countersigning end with his signature is responsible for the operation against the Parliament. Thus, the control of Parliament is only made possible because the state is not responsible to Parliament.

In Germany and was countersigned by, among other things governed by Article 17 of the Bismarckian Reich Constitution, Article 50 of the Weimar Constitution and Article 58 of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany.