Wortmann Group succeeds in dispute with Birkenstock

Wortmann Group wins case: Cologne Higher Regional Court lifts ban on sale of sandals; ruling appealable, CEO satisfied.

The Wortmann Group company shoe.com GmbH & Co. KG was successful before the Higher Regional Court of Cologne. In the judgment of 26.01.2024 (Ref. 6 U 29/23), the Higher Regional Court of Cologne revoked the judgment of the lower court of 11.05.2023, in which the Regional Court of Cologne prohibited shoe.com GmbH & Co. KG from selling 2 sandal models that were said to violate Birkenstock’s copyrights. The Higher Regional Court of Cologne was convinced that the copyrights had not been sufficiently demonstrated and proven. “We are pleased that the court has followed our legal opinion,” said Jens Beining, CEO of Wortmann Schuh-Holding KG, shortly after the judgment was announced. The judgment is not yet final and can be legally appealed to the Federal Supreme Court.