Council for German Orthography

The Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung (German pronunciation: [ˈʁaːt fyːɐ̯ ˈdɔʏtʃə ˈʁɛçtˌʃʁaɪbʊŋ], Council for German Orthography), or RdR, is the main international body regulating German orthography.

With its seat being in Mannheim, Germany, the RdR was formed in 2004 as a successor to the Zwischenstaatliche Kommission für deutsche Rechtschreibung ("Intergovernmental Commission for German Orthography") in order to comprise proponents as well as opponents to the German orthography reform of 1996 (and subsequent reforms).

Currently the RdR is composed of 39 members from the those states and regions that comprise the German Sprachraum:

 Germany: 18 councillors

 Austria: 9 councillors

  Switzerland: 9 councillors

 South Tyrol (Italy): 1 councillor

German-speaking Community of Belgium: 1 councillor

 Liechtenstein: 1 councillor

 Luxembourg: 1 observer (no voting right)

Despite having German as one of its official languages, Luxembourg, which was not involved in devising the reform of 1996, is not a full member of the council. The government of Luxembourg unilaterally adopted the reform, and its efficiency makes well-accepted by the country's teachers.