Don't be afraid of the defense! Compact information on defending your doctoral thesis

The dissertation has long since been submitted and is on display, the reviews have been written - now there is just one last step left before the successful completion of the doctoral project, namely the oral examination. This usually takes the form of a disputation in which, after a presentation on the theses and results described in the dissertation, these must be defended in front of an examination committee. But what exactly does this mean? What can I expect in the disputation? Formally, the procedure for this last real examination situation in most academic careers is of course laid down in the doctoral degree regulations. However, there are also a whole series of "unwritten rules" that can differ between Schools, subjects and professorships.