Einbürgerungstest Pro

Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01

Mock exam — North Rhine-Westphalia

33 questions as in the real exam: 30 federal and 3 on North Rhine-Westphalia. With an explanation for every option. Free, 2026.

Questions in the test
33
Split
30 + 3
Pass mark — naturalisation
17 / 33
Pass mark — "Leben in Deutschland"
15 / 33
Time
60 min
Two pass marks — read this
It is the same paper, but there are two pass marks. Naturalisation requires 17 of 33 correct. The "Leben in Deutschland" test at the end of an orientation course requires 15. So a score of 15 or 16 passes the orientation course and does not meet the naturalisation requirement. If you are sitting this for naturalisation, 17 is your number.
0 of 33 answered

Without JavaScript you see every question, answer and explanation as a list. The test works, just without the timer.

  1. Question 1 of 33Catalogue question 224

    What does the abbreviation EU stand for?

    1. A — "European Enterprises" is not the correct expansion of the abbreviation EU.
    2. B — Correct: EU stands for European Union, the confederation of states founded in 1993 by the Maastricht Treaty.
    3. C — "Unified Union" is not an official designation.
    4. D — "Euro Union" confuses the eurozone (monetary union) with the EU as a whole — not all EU states use the euro.

    Source: european-union.europa.eu

  2. Question 2 of 33Catalogue question 245

    Who is not allowed to live together as a couple in Germany?

    1. A — Two adults of different genders may live together regardless of the age difference.
    2. B — Two adult men may live together regardless of the age difference and their sexual orientation — same-sex partnerships are legally protected.
    3. C — Two adult women may live together regardless of the age difference.
    4. D — Correct: at 13, Anne is below the age of criminal responsibility and a minor; living together as a couple with a 25-year-old would be incompatible with child protection law and the criminal provisions on the sexual abuse of children (§ 176 Criminal Code).

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  3. Question 3 of 33Catalogue question 164

    What happened in Germany on 9 November 1938?

    1. A — The attack on Poland, and thus the start of the war, was on 1 September 1939, not 9 November 1938.
    2. B — The Nazi party did not lose an election in 1938 — there were no longer any free elections at that time.
    3. C — Correct: during the night of 9–10 November 1938, the November Pogroms organised by the National Socialists took place, in which synagogues and Jewish shops were destroyed throughout Germany.
    4. D — Hitler never became Reich President; he never held that office, and Hindenburg only died in 1934, after which Hitler merged the offices of Reich Chancellor and Reich President into "Führer" — not on 9 November 1938.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  4. Question 4 of 33Catalogue question 99

    Who pays for social insurance in Germany?

    1. A — Correct: social insurance contributions are, as a rule, shared equally between employers and employees.
    2. B — Contributions from employees alone contradict the basic principle of equal-share financing in Germany.
    3. C — Not all citizens pay social insurance contributions, only employees subject to social insurance (or their employers).
    4. D — Contributions from employers alone do not match the equal-share financing model.

    Source: www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de

  5. Question 5 of 33Catalogue question 74

    What is the parliament for the whole of Germany called?

    1. A — The Federal Convention only meets to elect the Federal President; it is not a standing parliament.
    2. B — The People's Chamber (Volkskammer) was East Germany's parliament and has not existed since reunification.
    3. C — Correct: the Bundestag is the standing, directly elected parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany.
    4. D — The Federal Court of Justice is the highest court of ordinary jurisdiction, not a parliament.

    Source: www.bundestag.de

  6. Question 6 of 33Catalogue question 88

    The parliamentary opposition in the German Bundestag …

    1. A — Correct: a central function of the opposition is holding the government to account, for example through questions, debates and committees of inquiry.
    2. B — Federal ministers are proposed by the Federal Chancellor and appointed by the Federal President, not determined by the opposition.
    3. C — Members of the Bundesrat are sent by the state governments, not determined by the Bundestag opposition.
    4. D — The heads of government of the Länder are elected by their respective state parliaments, not proposed by the Bundestag opposition.

    Source: www.bundestag.de

  7. Question 7 of 33Catalogue question 151

    Who built the Berlin Wall?

    1. A — Great Britain was a Western occupying power but had no part in building the wall.
    2. B — Correct: the East German (GDR) leadership had the Berlin Wall built during the night of 12–13 August 1961 to stop its citizens fleeing to the West.
    3. C — The Federal Republic of Germany (the West) was the destination of the flight movement, not the builder of the wall.
    4. D — The USA was a Western occupying power but was not involved in building the wall.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  8. Question 8 of 33Catalogue question 89

    What is the association of one party's members in parliament called in Germany?

    1. A — An "association" is a general term for interest organisations, not a parliamentary technical term.
    2. B — The council of elders is a body for organising parliamentary work, not an association of party members.
    3. C — Correct: a Fraktion (parliamentary group) is the grouping of the members of one party (or allied parties) in parliament.
    4. D — Opposition refers to all non-governing parliamentary groups together, not the grouping of one single party's members.

    Source: www.bundestag.de

  9. Question 9 of 33Catalogue question 122

    What principle do elections in Germany follow? Elections in Germany are …

    1. A — Correct: Art. 38(1) of the Basic Law names five electoral principles — general, direct, free, equal, secret; "free, equal, secret" correctly names three of them.
    2. B — "Open" contradicts the principle of the secret ballot.
    3. C — "Closed" is not an electoral principle of the Basic Law.
    4. D — "Voluntary" is not a distinct electoral principle, even though there is in fact no compulsory voting.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  10. Question 10 of 33Catalogue question 207

    Which military alliance was East Germany a member of?

    1. A — NATO was the Western alliance that West Germany (not East Germany) joined.
    2. B — The Confederation of the Rhine was a historical Napoleonic alliance of states from 1806, long since dissolved before the East German era.
    3. C — Correct: East Germany was a founding member of the Warsaw Pact (1955), the Eastern military alliance under Soviet leadership.
    4. D — A "European Alliance" in this sense did not exist as a real military alliance.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  11. Question 11 of 33Catalogue question 267

    A young woman in Germany, aged 22, lives together with her boyfriend. The woman's parents disapprove because they do not like the boyfriend. What can the parents do?

    1. A — Correct: on reaching legal majority (18), the daughter has the right to the free development of her personality (Art. 2(1) Basic Law) and decides for herself how to live her life — the parents no longer have any say.
    2. B — There is no parental authority over an adult daughter; she cannot be "brought back" against her will.
    3. C — Living with a partner of her own choosing is not a crime and not grounds for reporting her.
    4. D — The choice of partner is a strictly personal decision of the adult daughter; the parents have no right to choose a partner for her.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  12. Question 12 of 33Catalogue question 123

    What is the "5% threshold" in Germany?

    1. A — The 5% threshold is not an internal voting rule for small parties already represented in the Bundestag, but a condition of entry.
    2. B — The 5% threshold has nothing to do with attendance checks.
    3. C — Correct: the 5% threshold is the threshold clause in the Federal Elections Act — a party must reach at least 5% of the second votes to enter the Bundestag via the list.
    4. D — The 5% threshold concerns the Bundestag election, not attendance checks in the Bundesrat.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  13. Question 13 of 33Catalogue question 251

    If someone in Germany hits a child, …

    1. A — Violence against children is not purely a private matter; it is forbidden by law and can be prosecuted.
    2. B — The ban on violence applies even within the family; it is not a purely internal family matter.
    3. C — Incorrect: corporal punishment is forbidden and punishable.
    4. D — Correct: § 1631(2) of the Civil Code expressly forbids corporal punishment, emotional harm and other degrading measures in raising children; violations can be prosecuted as assault (§ 223 Criminal Code).

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  14. Question 14 of 33Catalogue question 127

    Why does the 5% threshold exist in the electoral law of the Federal Republic of Germany? It exists because …

    1. A — Whether party manifestos have things in common is not a legal reason for the threshold clause.
    2. B — Voter orientation is a secondary aspect, but not the central, constitutionally recognised purpose of the 5% threshold.
    3. C — Correct: the 5% threshold is meant to prevent excessive fragmentation of parties in the Bundestag, as happened in the Weimar Republic, which led to unstable governments and made forming a government harder — the goal is a functional, stable government.
    4. D — A party's financial strength is not a reason for the threshold clause; party financing is separately regulated in the Party Act.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  15. Question 15 of 33Catalogue question 162

    Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg became known for …

    1. A — Stauffenberg was not an Olympic participant; he was a Wehrmacht officer.
    2. B — The Reichstag building was completed in 1894, long before Stauffenberg's time.
    3. C — He was a Wehrmacht officer, but is not known as the builder of the Wehrmacht.
    4. D — Correct: on 20 July 1944, Stauffenberg carried out the failed bomb attack on Hitler as part of Operation Valkyrie — the best-known act of military resistance against the Nazi regime.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  16. Question 16 of 33Catalogue question 135

    Who do trade unions represent in Germany?

    1. A — Large companies are organised in employers' associations, not trade unions.
    2. B — Small companies are likewise a matter for the employer side, not trade unions.
    3. C — Self-employed people have their own forms of representation (e.g. chambers), but are not the core constituency of trade unions.
    4. D — Correct: trade unions represent the interests of employees vis-à-vis employers, including in collective bargaining.

    Source: www.dgb.de

  17. Question 17 of 33Catalogue question 282

    Which honorary post must German citizens take on if called upon to do so?

    1. A — Being a club coach is a voluntary honorary post without any statutory obligation.
    2. B — Correct: under the Federal Elections Act, eligible citizens can be obliged to take on the honorary post of election official — refusal is only possible for an important reason.
    3. C — Library supervision is not a statutorily mandatory honorary function.
    4. D — The teaching profession is a regular, paid occupation, not an imposed honorary post.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  18. Question 18 of 33Catalogue question 232

    Who is elected in the European election?

    1. A — The European Commission is not directly elected but is proposed by the member states and confirmed by the European Parliament.
    2. B — The accession of new countries to the EU is an international treaty process, not an election of individuals.
    3. C — Correct: in the European election, citizens of the EU member states directly elect the members of the European Parliament.
    4. D — A "European constitution" in the formal sense was rejected in 2005; the Lisbon Treaty took its place — in any case, no constitution is "elected".

    Source: www.europarl.europa.eu

  19. Question 19 of 33Catalogue question 57

    Who is usually elected President of the German Bundestag?

    1. A — The oldest member traditionally only chairs the constituent session (as "president by age") but does not automatically become President of the Bundestag.
    2. B — The office of a state's Minister-President is independent of that of the President of the Bundestag; the two offices are not combined.
    3. C — Former Federal Chancellors do not typically become President of the Bundestag; this is not a usual career path.
    4. D — Correct: by parliamentary custom, the President of the Bundestag is usually elected from the largest parliamentary group.

    Source: www.bundestag.de

  20. Question 20 of 33Catalogue question 25

    Which of these is not a federal state of the Federal Republic of Germany?

    1. A — Correct: Alsace-Lorraine is in France and has never been a federal state of the Federal Republic of Germany.
    2. B — North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the 16 federal states.
    3. C — Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is one of the 16 federal states.
    4. D — Saxony-Anhalt is one of the 16 federal states.

    Source: www.bundesrat.de

  21. Question 21 of 33Catalogue question 43

    When can a party be banned in Germany?

    1. A — The cost of an election campaign is not grounds for a ban; the Party Act rather regulates transparency of funding.
    2. B — Correct: under Art. 21(2) of the Basic Law, the Federal Constitutional Court can ban a party that seeks to impair or abolish the free democratic basic order.
    3. C — Criticism of the head of state is covered by freedom of expression and is not grounds for a ban.
    4. D — New political ideas and manifestos are part of democratic competition and not grounds for a ban, as long as the free democratic basic order is not under attack.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  22. Question 22 of 33Catalogue question 137

    Which court has jurisdiction over workplace conflicts in Germany?

    1. A — The family court decides on family-law matters such as divorce or custody, not workplace conflicts.
    2. B — The criminal court deals with criminal offences, not civil-law workplace conflicts.
    3. C — Correct: the labour court has specific jurisdiction over disputes arising from an employment relationship (§ 2 Labour Courts Act).
    4. D — The local court has jurisdiction over general civil matters of lower value in dispute, not specifically over workplace conflicts.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  23. Question 23 of 33Catalogue question 165

    What was the name of the first Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany?

    1. A — Correct: Konrad Adenauer (CDU) was elected the first Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949 and remained in office until 1963.
    2. B — Kiesinger was the third Federal Chancellor (1966–1969), head of the first grand coalition.
    3. C — Helmut Schmidt was the fifth Federal Chancellor (1974–1982).
    4. D — Willy Brandt was the fourth Federal Chancellor (1969–1974), known for his Ostpolitik.

    Source: www.bundeskanzler.de

  24. Question 24 of 33Catalogue question 73

    The two largest parliamentary groups in the German Bundestag are currently called …

    1. A — Correct by seat count: in the 21st Bundestag (since the 2025 election), the CDU/CSU group is the largest; the AfD group is the second largest. This holds regardless of which parties form the governing coalition.
    2. B — Neither Die Linke nor Bündnis 90/Die Grünen are among the two largest groups by membership in the current Bundestag.
    3. C — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen is considerably smaller than AfD and SPD in the current Bundestag; this combination does not match the actual size order.
    4. D — Die Linke is represented in the Bundestag but is not among the two largest groups.

    Source: www.bundestag.de

  25. Question 25 of 33Catalogue question 30

    Which of these is not a feature of our democracy?

    1. A — Regular elections are a central feature of democracy.
    2. B — Correct: press censorship contradicts the freedom of the press guaranteed by the Basic Law (Art. 5(1)) and is not a feature of democracy but typical of authoritarian systems.
    3. C — Freedom of expression is a fundamental pillar of democracy.
    4. D — A multi-party system is typical of pluralistic democracy.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  26. Question 26 of 33Catalogue question 300

    From which country did the first guest workers come to the Federal Republic of Germany?

    1. A — Correct: the Federal Republic's first recruitment agreement was concluded in 1955 with Italy; Italian guest workers were thus the first of their kind.
    2. B — The recruitment agreement with Spain only followed in 1960, after the one with Italy.
    3. C — The recruitment agreement with Portugal followed in 1964, well after Italy.
    4. D — The recruitment agreement with Turkey was only concluded in 1961 — later than the one with Italy, even though people of Turkish origin became the largest group in the long run (see question 297).

    Source: www.bpb.de

  27. Question 27 of 33Catalogue question 149

    What is an example of antisemitic behaviour?

    1. A — Attending a Jewish festival is cultural participation, not antisemitic behaviour.
    2. B — Factual criticism of a government's policy — including Israel's — is covered by freedom of expression and is not inherently antisemitic.
    3. C — Correct: denying the Holocaust is a recognised form of antisemitism, because it disputes or trivialises the historically documented crime against humanity committed against European Jews, and is furthermore a criminal offence in Germany (§ 130(3) Criminal Code).
    4. D — A sporting match against a Jewish team is a normal sporting encounter, not antisemitic behaviour.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  28. Question 28 of 33Catalogue question 220

    27 January is an official day of remembrance in Germany. What does this day commemorate?

    1. A — The end of the war in Europe is commemorated on 8 May, not 27 January.
    2. B — The Basic Law came into force on 23 May 1949, not 27 January.
    3. C — Reunification is celebrated on 3 October, not 27 January.
    4. D — Correct: since 1996, 27 January has been the official "Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism", chosen to mark the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp in 1945.

    Source: www.bundespraesident.de

  29. Question 29 of 33Catalogue question 186

    In 1953 there was an uprising in East Germany, which was long commemorated by a public holiday in West Germany. When was that?

    1. A — 1 May is Labour Day, not a commemoration of the 1953 East German uprising.
    2. B — Correct: on 17 June 1953, the East German leadership, with Soviet support, suppressed a popular uprising against increased work quotas and for political freedom; West Germany observed this day until 1990 as "Day of German Unity".
    3. C — 20 July commemorates the Stauffenberg assassination attempt on Hitler in 1944, not the East German uprising.
    4. D — 9 November is a historically significant date (the 1938 November Pogroms, the fall of the Wall in 1989), but not the day of the 1953 East German uprising.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  30. Question 30 of 33Catalogue question 193

    From 1961 to 1989, Berlin was …

    1. A — Both East and West Berlin had their own mayors during this period, with a Governing Mayor in the western part.
    2. B — Berlin was not an independent state but an occupied, divided city under Allied Four-Power status.
    3. C — Correct: from August 1961 to November 1989, the Berlin Wall separated the eastern from the western part of the city.
    4. D — Only during the 1948/49 blockade was West Berlin exclusively reachable via the airlift — not continuously throughout the entire period of the wall until 1989, when regular transit routes existed.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  31. Questions on North Rhine-Westphalia

    Question 31 of 33North Rhine-Westphalia · Catalogue question 9

    What is the head of government of North Rhine-Westphalia called?

    1. A — "First Minister" is not a title used in Germany.
    2. B — "Prime Minister" is the title used in other countries, not in German federal states.
    3. C — "Mayor" is the title for local heads, not for the state as a whole.
    4. D — Correct: as in most area states, the head of government in North Rhine-Westphalia is called Ministerpräsident/in (Minister-President).

    Source: www.land.nrw

  32. Question 32 of 33North Rhine-Westphalia · Catalogue question 5

    What colours does the state flag of North Rhine-Westphalia have?

    1. A — Red and white is not North Rhine-Westphalia's state flag; that is associated with Brandenburg or Bremen.
    2. B — Correct: North Rhine-Westphalia's state flag shows the colours green, white and red in three equally wide horizontal stripes.
    3. C — Black and gold is not North Rhine-Westphalia's state flag; that is associated with Baden-Württemberg.
    4. D — Blue, white and red is not North Rhine-Westphalia's state flag.

    Source: www.land.nrw

  33. Question 33 of 33North Rhine-Westphalia · Catalogue question 6

    Where can you get information about political topics in North Rhine-Westphalia?

    1. A — Churches are religious institutions and not an official point of contact for political education.
    2. B — The public order office deals with public safety and order, not political education.
    3. C — The consumer advice centre advises on consumer issues, not political education.
    4. D — Correct: the North Rhine-Westphalia State Centre for Political Education is the responsible institution for cross-party political information.

    Source: www.lzpb.nrw.de

Questions on North Rhine-Westphalia · Practice tests

Last checked: · Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01 · Every figure on this page is checked against its primary source.