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I found an article about the development of Neufreistadt (former Neualtenburg) in the German news magazine "Spiegel Online" (sorry, German only).
http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/spielzeu ... 25,00.html
It's basically a short summary of Neufreistadt's history and a superficial presentation of the democratic ideas the CDS is based on.
Thank you for the article.
It is interesting to read, if from what I know somewhat inaccurate. Some parts I think really are very accurate!
Overall it can give readers of Spiegel Online a picture of Neufreistadt: where it came from and what it is. 
OK, here is my own translation of the article. I do not feel it is perfect, so if anyone has a correction they should feel free to make it.
Sponto seeks the democrats
By Christian Stöcker
It is not only about shopping and f***ing in "Second Life." Many here seek a better world – or are even making the effort to create one. Well known for this is one virtual, old-Bavarian experiment in democracy – one which was brought about by struggling idealists and a Kaiserin.
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Comment for new readers of this diary: you can find the first adventures of the SPIEGEL-ONLINE avatar Sponto in the virtual world of "Second Life" here (more...)
Political activity has taken place for some time on the other side of the hardships of real life in "Second Life." Well-known for this are the developments in a kind of experiment in democracy called Neualtenburg. At the same time the history of Neualtenburg is a lesson in just how difficult democracy is to bring about – even in a virtual world with nearly unlimited possibilities.
DEMOCRACY IN "SECOND LIFE": FACHWERK AND BIRTHS IN CHROME
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Neualtenburg was founded by a group of SL-residents for whom the autocratic rule of the Lindens was a thorny issue. Together they purchased an island, built a village that looks a little bit like Rothenburg ob der Tauber – with the style of southern-German medieval fachwerk buildings, a large church within which bizarrely are hanging Bavarian criss-cross flags with lion crests, and a castle – and began to found democratic institutions. A kind of town council was created, a voting system was put into place, and legislative periods were set. The Lindens treated this experiment in democracy under their roof with goodwill and indifference – actually everyone could be at peace.
I took a little walk around in Neualtenburg (which is now called something else, but back to this later). It was, as are so many places here, relatively, or actually completely, empty of avatars. But despite the teutonic name of their town the digital democrats seem to come largely from the USA, and during my visit they probably were dozing away in a sleep reserved for the just. The town is very cute: there are private galleries, a castle with dance-animations on the terrace, and a picture on the wall that celebrates democracy by showing huge penguins, two-legged dragons and halo-wearers all exercising their right of codetermination.
Despite the idyllic conditions, there was once a conflict among the SL-democrats. One of the founders Ulrika Zugzwang (Zugzwang is the ironically appropriate name of her avatar), had a falling out with the other residents of Neualtenburg. She had been away from SL for some time because she had gotten a child and simply did not have enough time. When she returned she was unhappy with developments in Neualtenburg - and she began to take legal action against the remaining residents and newcomers.
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She claimed for herself the name of Neualtenburg, which was originally her idea. She and her friend Kendra Bancroft wanted to have back all of the beautiful fachwerk houses they had built together. After all, SL residents retain intellectual property rights for all their creations.
The other residents of Neualtenburg were unpleasantly surprised to the point of anger. Exactly who had which rights in this conflict is difficult to tell from the perspective of today. What is certain: personal animosities between the parties concerned brought the tender sapling of democracy near to the brink of extermination.
The fundamental democrat of yesterday is today Kaiserin
In the end the almighty gods of SL did need to intercede after all: a Linden changed the name of the region Neualtenburg to “Neufreistadt†(in agreement with the remaining residents) and it became generally understood that the fachwerk houses would remain. Ulrika Zugzwang carries on today with Kendra Bancroft in a region with the name “Port Neualtenburg†(Region Funadama), in which there are also fachwerk houses, but no democracy. Kendra Bancroft is regarded as “Kaiserin†in the role-play group of Neualtenburg.
The old Neualtenburgers are now called Neufreistadters – and their state within a state is expanding. Neufreistadt already has a sister island, and together these two regions now call themselves the “Confederation of Democratic Simulators†(Simulator here stands for server, i.e. for the physical foundation of the virtual regions – that the democracy itself is simulated and is not real is most assuredly not what is intended).
The residents have not lost their democratic flame – even as in the meantime they have to grapple with the usual: political campaigns, parties, bureaucratic processes and complicated political documents. In a party statement in the Dorfplatz I read roughly the following sentence, very much reminding one of a Washington-inspired statement: “The RA-Seat Law, the Microplot Termination Act and the Citizen Information Act were passed in order to guarantee fair and well-organized elections.â€
Or, as Gwyneth Llewelyn, one of the remaining residents, described it somewhat grandiloquently: “In Neualtenburg it was never about cute buildings and city planning, but about people and their irrepressible belief that many things are more important than individual people: the law and order that brings it about, and the rights to change exactly this law under which a community is governed, with the help of democratic processes.â€
The Neufreistadters hope their paragraph-loving style of self-governance will one day jump over to the entire grid, and in this way SL will become democratically (bureaucratically?) governed. For the time being the gods continue to govern. And autocratically.
Thanks for the translation, Nikki!
In English it sounds somewhat more aggressive than in German though, the original comes over as half-serious and with a winking eye in my opinion. "paragraph-loving style of governance" for example is not meant to be some kind of accusation, it's more of a "'chummy punch".
Well, it's difficult to translate subtle undertones.
You are welcome for the translation.
Yes, thank you Jo for bringing up that the German was not meant so seriously as it might have sounded in English. That is also my opinion, exactly. I did try to bring that tone across but sometimes found it difficult without altering what was written. Often colloquial phrases were used that would have made no sense in English if translated directly. However, to have found a similar phrase in English would have said something quite different than what was in the original. So I tried to remain true to the German but say it in a way that was not meant totally seriously.
I did question how factually correct it was, as it seemed to me it was not completely.
[quote="Jo Sapeur":1ad0i7rx]Thanks for the translation, Nikki!
In English it sounds somewhat more aggressive than in German though, the original comes over as half-serious and with a winking eye in my opinion. "paragraph-loving style of governance" for example is not meant to be some kind of accusation, it's more of a "'chummy punch".
Well, it's difficult to translate subtle undertones.[/quote:1ad0i7rx]
I don't understand a word of German, and the "nudge and a wink" undertone came through in English fine for me - though from the others' comments it my have been even stronger?
Wow and THANKS for the translation!
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"Nenia peno nek provo donos lakton de bovo."
