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GERMAN CITIZENSHIP

REVEALED: The new questions being added to Germany’s citizenship test

Foreigners who want to naturalise as Germans will soon have to tackle a range of new questions that are being added to the citizenship test. Here's what to expect.

Published: 27 March 2024 09:10 CET
Islamic conference Nancy Faeser
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) speaks at the Islamic Conference on Tuesday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Britta Pedersen

As Germany prepares to introduce its major reform of citizenship laws, a slightly more subtle change is also on the way: the Interior Ministry has drafted a range of new questions to add to the citizenship test.

The news comes after months of pressure on the government to find a way to clamp down on anti-Semitism and racism while also loosening up the restrictions on citizenship.

According to Spiegel, there are 12 new questions that are likely to become part of the citizenship test, covering everything from the history of Jews in Germany to the founding of the state of Israel, as well as specific questions that tackle forms of anti-Semitism.

READ ALSO: Why Germany is shaking up citizenship test questions

Following an ordinance from the Interior Ministry, they will be added to the official selection of citizenship test questions, pushing the number of potential questions up to 322 (including 10 questions that are specific to your federal state). 

Of these, 33 are selected for each test, and you have to get at least 17 right in order to pass. 

We’ve listed the new questions below in English and have highlighted the correct answers.

Let’s see how many you can get right! 

Germany’s new citizenship test questions

Where do the majority of Jews who currently live in Germany come from?

1. Israel
2. Former Soviet Union countries 
3. The USA
4. From Western Europe

How many years ago was there a Jewish community in what is now Germany for the first time?

1. Around 300 years ago
2. Around 700 years ago
3. Around 1150 years ago
4. Around 1700 years ago

Who can become a member of the 40 or so Jewish Maccabi sports clubs?

1. Only Germans
2. Only Israelis
3. Only religious people
4. Everyone 

Which cities have the largest Jewish communities in Germany?

1. Berlin and Munich
2. Hamburg and Essen
3. Nuremberg and Stuttgart 
4. Worms and Speyer 

What is the name of the Jewish house of prayer?

1. Basilica 
2. Mosque
3. Synagogue 
4. Church

When was the state of Israel founded?

1. 1945
2. 1948 
3. 1922 
4. 1973

On what legal basis was the state of Israel founded?

1. A United Nations (UN) resolution
2. A resolution of the Zionist congress
3. A recommendation from the German federal government
4. A recommendation from the Soviet Union (USSR) 

TEST: Could you pass the German citizenship exam?

What is the reason for Germany’s special responsibility for Israel?

1. Germany’s membership of the European Union (EU)
2. Crimes committed under National Socialism
3. The German constitution (Grundgesetz) 
4. Christian tradition 

What is an example of anti-Semitic behaviour? 

1. Attending a Jewish festival 
2. Criticising the state of Israel
3. Holocaust denial 
4. Playing football against a Jewish team 

What do the so-called “Stolpersteine”, or stumbling stones, in Germany commemorate?

1. Famous German politicians
2. Victims of National Socialism
3. People who died in traffic accidents
4. Well-known Jewish musicians 

How can someone who denies the Holocaust be punished?

1. Cuts to benefits or welfare payments
2. Up to 100 hours of community service
3. They can’t be – Holocaust denial is allowed in Germany
4. With a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine 

Which act relating to the state of Israel is prohibited in Germany?

1. Publicly criticising Israel’s policies 
2. Hanging an Israeli flag on private property
3. Discussing Israeli politics 
4. Openly calling for the destruction of the state of Israel 

If you’d like to know more about the documents you need to apply for German citizenship – and how to do it – check out our explainers below:

Member comments

  1. So if new immigrants answer these questions correctly, that would solve the problem of antisemitism in Germany? What a childish way of “solving” this issue.

  2. Will I need to retake the test if I already passed the Leben in Deutschland test before the new questions were added? If so, that’s pretty frustrating considering the awfully long waiting times.

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GERMAN CITIZENSHIP

Does hiring a lawyer speed up your German citizenship application?

Contracting a lawyer to help you with your German citizenship application isn't likely to help you get an appointment faster. But it may help you in other ways, particularly if your citizenship authority starts ghosting you.

Published: 24 April 2024 11:02 CEST
Updated: 27 April 2024 15:05 CEST
Does hiring a lawyer speed up your German citizenship application?

With the German naturalisation law reform set to come into force on June 26th, many foreign residents in Germany are considering applying. One question that readers have asked The Local is: Will contracting a lawyer with good contacts within citizenship and immigration authorities speed up your German citizenship application?

READ ALSO: Elation and worry as German citizenship law passes final hurdle

Strictly speaking, no. That in and of itself won’t do it – according to legal experts The Local has spoken to.

Immigration lawyers Andreas Moser and Sven Hasse both say the best way to increase your application’s chances of speedy approval is to make sure the application is complete and well-organised. Moser recommends that paper applications are filed with an index of documents and that files submitted with electronic applications are neatly scanned and clearly labelled.

“I’ve had clients who’ve done it like that and they sometimes get their citizenship – even in busy offices like Munich – in three months,” says Moser. “The most important thing is to only apply when you’ve met all the conditions, have all the paperwork, and you can present it in one folder.”

You may wish to have a lawyer go over your documents to help ensure that neat application – or even perhaps to draft a cover letter anticipating and answering any questions the authorities might have.

Such explanations might be to detail a short break in your income, or address why your children might have a different last name to you if they’re included in your application.

However, having a lawyer to help you do this isn’t necessary in many cases. Moser also advises that it’s unlikely to save you any time versus simply doing the application yourself, as your lawyer will have to go through all the application details with you anyway – and it can be costly.

READ ALSO: How to get a speedy response on your German citizenship application

When should I definitely consider a lawyer?

Moser’s recommendation, in most cases at least, is to consider a lawyer only once it’s clear that the authorities aren’t considering your neat and complete application in a timely manner and you want to challenge them.

Normally, this shouldn’t be until at least three months have passed without word on the status of your application. At that point you can threaten a complaint through the administrative court. Such a complaint is known as an Untätigkeitsklage and you can draft a letter to the citizenship authority yourself stating that if it does not act on your application, you will file the complaint. You can also ask a lawyer to help you with this threat letter.

Moser says that much of the time, this threat letter works – and the applicant will rarely have to actually file the Untätigkeitsklage. If you do choose to file it though, it’s at this point that Moser advises you seek out a lawyer to draft and file the complaint on your behalf. This process costs €500 in court fees and more in legal fees, although if the court finds in your favour – the authority then has to send this money back to you.

Finally, both Hasse and Moser say you should consider legal advice if your case is complicated. This might include a previous criminal conviction carrying a sentence of slightly more than 90 days, or for uncertain or interrupted periods of residence. This could include people who’ve travelled to their home countries for an extended period of time to look after ailing relatives or employees of German companies who’ve been posted outside of Germany for an extended period of time due to their jobs.

READ ALSO: When to consider legal action for your German citizenship application

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