The 48-year-old Härtel was previously Professor of law at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). She headed the research center for digital rights. She was born in 1972 in Staßfurt (Saxony-Anhalt) and grew up in the GDR. After the turn, she studied in Göttingen in lower Saxony law. With your a lawyer with an East German origin, a judge at the Federal constitutional court is, for the first time.

The appointment Härtels includes a larger change of Judge at the Federal constitutional court. It concerned, in particular, the top of the highest German court, Andreas Voßkuhle, President of Stephan Harbarth was replaced. The term of office of constitutional judges is twelve years.