Initially focused on the dissertations of notable persons submitted at German institutions, non-doctoral works in languages other than German submitted at institutions outside Germany have since also been scrutinised.
This scrutiny has found extensive plagiarism in the work of several notable persons, including cabinet members, and in a significant number of cases – but not all – their academic degree has been rescinded.
As of 2024[update], the German VroniPlag Wiki has, since it started in 2011, published the plagiarism found in over 200 works; in at least 90 of these cases the academic degree was rescinded.
[1] However, academic misconduct has been a topic in Germany for centuries,[2] especially at the doctoral level since one of the rights and privileges that come with an academic degree at this level is the title of doctor.
"[2] While the legal privileges of royalty and nobility were abolished in Germany in 1919 following the German revolution and proclamation of the republic at the end of World War I, hereditary titles continue to form part of surnames that continue to be protected by law, the wealth and power of formerly royal and noble families has remained, and German media continues to treat royal and noble persons is if it had never been abolished.