The German Civil Code (BGB) took effect in 1900. It represented the culmination of a long process of codification of private law that can be traced back to the early nineteenth century. The German Code departed from the French model by offering a different structure, and a more elaborate, scientific wording for its content. The BGB was influential in Europe and beyond. It served as a source for codes in, for example, Brazil, Japan, Switzerland, and Turkey. The BGB is still the law in Germany, although it has experienced partial revisions in the 120 years since it took effect.