German man fighting to have his homosexual marriage legally recognized

German seeks homosexual marriage recognition

BERLIN — A German man is fighting to have his 2006 marriage abroad to his homosexual partner legally recognized in Germany, where the law stipulates a marriage can only be between a man and a woman.

Andreas Boettcher took his case to a Berlin administrative court Tuesday after local authorities refused to register him as married based on a Canadian marriage certificate and a registry entry from Spain that names him as the husband of his Spanish partner. Both Canada and Spain recognize homosexual marriages.

Boettcher says he will fight the case as far as needed in order for his vows to be honored by the state.

The 37-year-old argued the court would have had no trouble honoring either document had his partner been “an Isabel.”