The German government unveils fresh citizenship test questions pertaining to Israel.
The German Interior Ministry has provided additional details regarding 12 new questions concerning Judaism and Israel that will be incorporated into the nation's citizenship examination.
Updates to German Citizenship Test Include Questions on Israel and Judaism
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser disclosed in an interview with SPIEGEL Online that forthcoming revisions to the naturalization test will feature inquiries pertaining to Judaism, Israel, and Germany's ties to the state. Faeser emphasized the country's enduring commitment to safeguarding Jewish communities and Israel, stemming from the atrocities of the Holocaust. These questions reflect contemporary German identity and underscore the importance of acknowledging these responsibilities for individuals aspiring to German citizenship. Typically, the naturalization test comprises 33 questions selected from a pool of 300, with 30 focusing on German history, politics, and culture, and the remaining three tailored to the applicant's federal state of residence.
As per Faeser's interview, the subsequent questions are set to be incorporated:
1. How long ago did the initial Jewish inhabitants settle in what's now Germany?
Answer: Approximately 1700 years ago
2. What's the term for a Jewish place of worship?
Answer: Synagogue
3. What do stumbling stones (Stolpersteine) commemorate?
Answer: Victims of National Socialism
4. Can you provide an example of antisemitic conduct?
Answer: Holocaust denial
5. What's a potential penalty for Holocaust denial in Germany?
Answer: Up to five years imprisonment or a fine
6. What year witnessed the establishment of Israel?
Answer: 1948
7. On what legal basis was Israel's formation grounded?
Answer: A United Nations resolution
8. Which nation are most of Germany's present Jewish residents from?
Answer: Former Soviet Union countries
9. In which German cities are the largest Jewish communities located?
Answer: Berlin and Munich
10. Who's eligible to join a Jewish Maccabi sports club?
Answer: Anyone
11. Why does Germany have a distinct responsibility for Israel?
Answer: Due to crimes committed under National Socialism
12. What discourse about Israel is prohibited in Germany?
Answer: Public calls for the end of the Israeli state
No further decision on Saxony-Anhalt citizenship declaration on Israel
Faeser’s announcement in SPIEGEL follows a decision in December by the Interior Ministry in Saxony-Anhalt to include a new question in its citizenship tests, in which applicants would be asked to formally declare that they “recognise Israel's right to exist and condemn any efforts directed against the existence of the State of Israel".
Since Hamas’ attack on October 7, attitudes towards Israel’s consequent bombardment in Gaza have caused increasing friction between Germans, Germany and the international community living in Germany, among whom pro-Palestine sentiment is more often publicly expressed. Increasing crackdowns on pro-Palestine protests and antisemitism which followed October 7, Germany has also been internationally criticised for silencing criticism of the Israeli government, especially in the cultural sector.
Currently, anyone who does a citizenship test in Germany must declare that they recognise all of the states that Germany recognises, which includes Israel. However, the announcement in Saxony was met with criticism from legal professionals, who suggested that asking applicants to declare their recognition of Israel specifically has “no legal basis”. German courts are yet to decide whether the addition is legally sound.
When authorities in Saxony-Anhalt announced that they would add the declaration requirement, Faeser said that she would be open to adopting the question at the federal level, meaning that applicants in all 16 states would be required to sign the statement or be denied a passport. However, upon announcing the 12 new questions for the test, the minister gave no update as to whether this was still the plan.