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GERMAN CITIZENSHIP

TEST: Could you pass the German citizenship exam?

Obtaining German citizenship involves clearing numerous hurdles - including a multiple-choice citizenship test that will quiz you on your knowledge of German history, culture, geography and politics. Could you pass it?

Published: 12 August 2022 08:49 CEST
German citizenship test
A woman fills in the German Citizenship Test in Munich, Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Lino Mirgeler

The German passport is one of the most powerful in the world – but getting your hands on one is no mean feat. 

Alongside strict residency and language requirements, people who want to become a naturalised German citizenship will have to sit an exam known as the Einbürgerungstest (Citizenship Test).

The exam is designed to ensure that migrants understand important aspects of Germany’s political system, like the rights enshrined in the constitution, and can deal with aspects of day to day life and culture in the Bundesrepublik.

READ ALSO: TEST: Is your German good enough for citizenship or permanent residency?

Additionally, there are usually questions on important milestones in German history such as the Second World War and the GDR, and you may encounter some geography questions and questions on the European Union as well. 

The test is in German and consists of 33 questions: 30 questions on Germany in general, and three related to the specific federal state you live in. 

It’s all in German, so people sitting the exam need to be fairly confident with their reading skills – but since it’s multiple choice, writing skills thankfully aren’t required. 

Though this may sound daunting, people are given a full hour to complete the test – and, anecdotally, most tend to finish much more quickly than that. You also only need to score 17 out of 33 (so just over 50 percent) to pass.

In addition, there are only a set number of questions that the Citizenship Test alternates between. You can find a list of all of them (in German) here, and also take a German-language practice test here.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How I got German citizenship – and how you can too

If you’d like to test your knowledge in English, however, we’ve put together a representative list of 16 questions to get you started. Viel Glück! (Good luck!) 

Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle

Member comments

  1. The question regarding the GDR uprising – I knew the date but its not a public holiday…I certainly have to work. https://www.berlin.de/en/tourism/travel-information/1887651-2862820-public-holidays-school-holidays.en.html doesn’t list it for example.

    It turns out it was a public holiday in the FRG – but that was quite some time ago. Apparently its still a “national day of remembrance” for what that is worth. See https://www.protokoll-inland.de/Webs/PI/EN/national-days/17June/17-june-node.html.

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IMMIGRATION

Scholz pledges to keep ‘strict controls’ on Germany’s borders

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has promised to fight 'irregular migration' by keeping stringent controls in place at several of Germany's borders.

Published: 26 July 2024 14:13 CEST
Scholz pledges to keep 'strict controls' on Germany's borders

“In general, it is our intention to continue to strictly control the German borders,” the SPD politician told the Saarbrücker Zeitung this week. He added that the numbers need to come down.

The Chancellor said labour migration was necessary and desirable. “But there are too many who come to us irregularly and claim to be seeking protection from persecution, but cannot give any reasons for asylum and are then rejected,” Scholz added.

Existing border controls, such as at checks at the border with France during the Olympic Games, will continue to apply until September 30th.

“It is our intention to continue to operate strict controls on the German borders,” Scholz said. 

At the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there have been stationary check points for some time. They are planned to remain until December 15th for Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, and until November 11th for Austria.

Border controls were tightened leading up to the EURO 2024 tournament, which took place in Germany from June 14th to July 14th.

At the time, Interior Ministry Nancy Faeser (SPD) said checks would be carried out at all of Germany’s nine borders, with a focus on combatting security threats such as Islamist extremism. 

According to the German Federal Police, more than 1.6 million people were checked when crossing the border during the tournament, and a total of 9,172 unauthorised entries were detected. Of these unauthorised entries, 6,401 people were turned back. 

Scholz said the number of irregular migrants being returned to their home countries had increased by 30 percent in light of the new border measures, adding that the government has taken “practical” action to restrict irregular migration.

Alongside tighter border controls, the government has also taken steps to speed up the asylum process in order to determine which migrants have a valid claim.

Deportation debate intensified by recent events

Discussions over deportations escalated in Germany after a 25-year-old Afghan went on a knife rampage at an anti-Islam rally in the western city of Mannheim back in May. 

READ ALSO: Tensions high in Mannheim after knife attack claims life of policeman

A police officer, 29, died of his wounds after being repeatedly stabbed as he tried to intervene in the attack, while five attendees at the Pax Europa rally were injured.

clean-up in Mannheim

Members of the fire brigade clean away the blood at the scene where several people were injured in a knife attack on May 31, in Mannheim.
Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

The deadly attack sparked a furious debate over whether criminals should be returned to places like Afghanistan and Syria, even if those countries were deemed unsafe.

Scholz, who has previously voiced his support for deporting dangerous criminals to their home countries, said the government was currently working on ways to do so.

“Are we allowed to choose who comes to Germany? Yes,” the SPD politician said at the summer press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

The Federal Government is working “very precisely” on deporting “offenders in particular” to Syria and Afghanistan, he added. 

A court in Münster recently concluded that parts of Syria were now safe for migrants to be returned to, potentially upending Germany’s long-standing asylum policy for citizens of the war-torn country. 

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