The financial crisis 2007-2009 clearly demonstrates the necessity to implement regulations for systemically important financial institutions to achieve overall financial stability. Basel III gains center stage in this process. The new regulations affect all market participants - regardless of size and business model. Thus, it is essential for financial institutions to face the upcoming challenges and seek for appropriate and stabilizing responses. Stefan Schwerter outlines current theoretical issues of systemic risk and its regulations. These considerations are applied for an explanation and critical assessment of the new Basel III framework. The reader gets wide impressions as well as a detailed analysis of theoretical principles, the Basel III framework and the German "Restructuring Law". Based on the insights of this thesis, financial institutions are well-prepared to initiate group and bank-specific processes of change to meet new regulatory requirements and contribute to positive developments of the financial sector.