In 1951, Harlan sued for an injunction against Hamburg politician Erich Lüth for publicly calling for a boycott of "Unsterbliche Geliebte" ("Immortal Beloved"). The District Court in Hamburg granted Harlan's suit and ordered that Lüth forbear from making such public appeals. However, the lower court decision was overturned in 1958 by the Federal Constitutional Court because it infringed on Lüth's right to freedom of expression. This was a landmark decision because it clarified the importance of the constitutional civil rights in disputes between individuals.