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RACISM

What Germans really think about the country’s racism problem

Most Germans recognise that racism is widespread and are willing to face up to the problem, a new study suggests.

Demonstrators at a rally against racism in Domplatz, Erfurt on March 21st 2022
Demonstrators at a rally against racism in Domplatz, Erfurt on March 21st 2022 - . the International Day against Racism. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Bodo Schackow

Around 90 percent of Germans believe that racism exists in the country, according to the study from the new National Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaDiRa).

Researchers in the survey, carried out by the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), found that nearly half of respondents – 45 percent – said they had observed racist incidents. And more than a fifth of the population – about 22 percent – said they had been affected by racism themselves.

READ ALSO: Black people in Germany face ‘widespread’ racism, study finds

Co-director of the DeZIM Institute Naika Foroutan said that racism is a part of “everyday life in Germany”.

“It affects not only minorities, but the whole of society, directly or indirectly,” he said.

Foroutan said structural and institutional racism “is also seen as a problem by many people”.

“Racist disadvantages are particularly often recognised in the areas of school, work and housing. The issue should therefore be tackled pro-actively and in the long term by policymakers. Our study shows that a large part of the German population would support this.”

READ ALSO: High costs, long queues and discrimination – what it’s like to rent in Germany

Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) said the fact that people recognise the problem means the country is “on a good path”.

“The vast majority of people in Germany recognise that racism exists in Germany,” said Paus while presenting the results of the study in Berlin on Thursday. 

“People are also willing to get involved (to act) against it.”

A sign reads 'racism kills' at a memorial event in February 2022 for the victims of the Hanau racist attacks in 2020.

A sign reads ‘racism kills’ at a memorial event in February 2022 for the victims of the Hanau racially motivated attacks in 2020. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

OPINION: When will Germany deal with its casual racism problem?

Paus said that the commitment to tackle racism would be further strengthened by new laws, such as the Democracy Promotion Act.

“In this way, we will strengthen the fight for democracy and diversity, and against extremism and racism,” she said.

“Germany is aware of its racism problem,” added Reem Alabali-Radovan, the Federal Government Commissioner for Racism. The fact that 90 percent of people recognise racism exists is “good news, because it is an important step for change”, he added.

What else do Germans say about racism?

According to the study, half of respondents agree with the statement: “We live in a racist society.”

A majority – 65 percent – think that racial discrimination exists in public authorities. Around 70 percent of respondents said they are prepared to oppose racism – for example, by organising a demonstration, petition or by standing up against it it if they come across racism in their everyday life.

Meanwhile, 81 percent agree with the statement that people can behave in a racist way without intending to.

However, 45 percent of respondents said that criticism of racism is exaggerated, and represents a restriction of freedom of expression in the sense of “political correctness”.

Some people who complained about racism were “oversensitive”, 33 percent of respondents said. Meanwhile, 52 percent even took the view that those affected were too “fearful”.

Researchers interviewed around 5,000 people from April to August 2021 for the study. The review is set to be carried out every two years.

Last year, The Local reported on the the Afrocensus project, which found black people in Germany face widespread racism.

“There is no area of life in which discrimination and racism are not extensive problems,” said the report authors, underlining the deep racial problems in Germany. 

READ ALSO: ‘Black lives need to matter in Germany’ New project to uncover racism in everyday life

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ANTI-SEMITISM

‘Special responsibility’: Why Germany is shaking up citizenship test questions

As part of its efforts to crack down on anti-Semitism, the German Interior Ministry will add multiple questions on Israel, the Holocaust and Germany's 'historic responsibility' to the citizenship test.

'Special responsibility': Why Germany is shaking up citizenship test questions

Almost everyone who goes through the naturalisation process in Germany has to pass what’s known as a citizenship test, or Einbürgerungstest. This German-language exam contains 33 questions that are selected from a catalogue of 300 general questions, plus 10 questions related to your home state.

The topics cover everything from German history, politics and the German way of life, and applicants have to get at least 17 questions right in order to pass.

Soon, however, the topics will get even broader. According to reports in German news magazine Der Spiegel, the Interior Ministry has drafted 12 new questions that they want to add to the test in the near future, tackling the prevalent issue of anti-Semitism and Germany’s relationship with Israel.  

These new questions will be made official by a new ordinance from the Ministry of Interior, and will then be added to the range of questions that can be selected as part of the 33-question test.

The list of questions revolve around Germany’s Jewish community, with topics such as the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and the history of Israel all set to be included in the test. 

One question, for example, asks how long ago the first Jews arrived in what is today known as Germany, while another questions how Holocaust denial is punished in Germany. 

To see the full list of questions obtained by Spiegel, see our explainer below:

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

Why is Germany adding new questions to the citizenship test?

Since the terrorist group Hamas carried out its brutal attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7th, 2023, anti-Semitism has been firmly in the spotlight in Germany. 

As well as clamping down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators, the German government has been under pressure to tighten up its citizenship rules in order to prevent anti-Semites becoming naturalised as Germans.

This was one of the key issues that held up Germany’s sweeping reform of citizenship rules in autumn last year.

Politicians from the right-wing CDU and CSU parties have repeatedly argued that anti-Semitism was “imported” into Germany by Turkish and Arab communities, and have called for anti-Semites to be stripped of citizenship and barred from ever obtaining it.

In response, the government opted to give citizenship offices new powers to contact public prosecutors and investigate whether crimes committed by foreigners had any racist or anti-Semitic motives.

READ ALSO: Could Germany strip citizenship rights from foreigners over anti-Semitism?

The coalition also pointed to a clause contained in the new law that is designed to exclude people who commit “racist, anti-Semitic and dehumanising acts” from naturalising as Germans. This represents a significant tightening of the law, they argued.

Alexander Throm Bundestag

CDU politician Alexander Throm gives an impassioned speech in the Bundestag during a debate on the new citizenship law. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marco Rauch

Speaking to Spiegel on Tuesday, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) revealed that the new citizenship questions were designed with the same aim in mind.

“Our special responsibility to protect Jews and the state of Israel stems from the German crime against humanity of the Holocaust,” she said. “This responsibility is part of our identity today.”

Anyone who wants to become German must know “what this means and acknowledge Germany’s responsibility” and must make this commitment “clear and credible”.

That is why the naturalisation test is now being changed in line with the law on citizenship, Faeser explained. 

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