Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01

Practice test 1 — Rhineland-Palatinate

33 questions as in the real exam: 30 federal and 3 on Rhineland-Palatinate. 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

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  1. Question 1 of 33Catalogue question 82

    Who chairs the German federal cabinet?

    1. A — The President of the Bundestag chairs parliamentary sessions, not the cabinet.
    2. B — The Federal President has representative duties but does not lead the work of government.
    3. C — The President of the Bundesrat chairs the chamber of the Länder, not the federal cabinet.
    4. D — Correct: the Federal Chancellor chairs the federal cabinet and sets the guidelines of policy (Art. 65 Basic Law).

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  2. Question 2 of 33Catalogue question 190

    What does the abbreviation GDR (DDR) stand for?

    1. A — "Third German Broadcasting" is not the correct expansion of the abbreviation DDR.
    2. B — "The German Republic" is not the official name of the East German state.
    3. C — "Third German Republic" is not a correct expansion; there was no such numbering.
    4. D — Correct: DDR stands for Deutsche Demokratische Republik (German Democratic Republic), the official name of the East German state from 1949 to 1990.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  3. Question 3 of 33Catalogue question 260

    In Germany, a child at school has …

    1. A — A right to "unlimited free time" does not exist; compulsory schooling occupies time.
    2. B — There is no complete freedom of choice for all subjects; a binding set of compulsory subjects is prescribed, with limited choice options in higher grades.
    3. C — "School fees" are a charge one pays (e.g. at some private schools), not an entitlement a child has.
    4. D — Correct: general compulsory schooling entails a duty to attend — schoolchildren must regularly take part in lessons.

    Source: www.kmk.org

  4. Question 4 of 33Catalogue question 250

    In Germany, you have the best chances of a well-paid job if you …

    1. A — Religious affiliation has no legally legitimate influence on career opportunities; discrimination on this basis is forbidden under the General Equal Treatment Act.
    2. B — Correct: good education and qualifications are the central, legitimate factor for career opportunities and salary in Germany.
    3. C — Under the principle of equal treatment (Art. 3(2), (3) Basic Law), gender must play no role in career opportunities — gender discrimination is forbidden, even if not fully overcome in practice.
    4. D — Party membership is not a legitimate or usual criterion for allocating jobs in the private sector.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  5. Question 5 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

  6. Question 6 of 33Catalogue question 200

    Which of today's German federal states was formerly part of East Germany?

    1. A — Hesse lay in the American zone and belonged to old West Germany, not East Germany.
    2. B — Schleswig-Holstein lay in the British zone and belonged to old West Germany, not East Germany.
    3. C — Correct: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was one of the five "new states" that joined the Federal Republic in 1990.
    4. D — The Saarland joined the Federal Republic in 1957 — never part of East Germany.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  7. Question 7 of 33Catalogue question 41

    Why are there more than one party in a democracy?

    1. A — Correct: a multi-party system reflects the diversity of political opinion among the population and enables genuine electoral choice.
    2. B — Multiple parties do not automatically prevent corruption; that is not the actual purpose of a multi-party system.
    3. C — Demonstrations are a separate basic right (Art. 8 Basic Law) and are unrelated to the number of parties.
    4. D — Economic competition is regulated by competition law and market order, not by the number of political parties.

    Source: www.bundestag.de

  8. Question 8 of 33Catalogue question 179

    How did the Second World War officially end in Europe?

    1. A — Hitler's death on 30 April 1945 was an event before the war ended, but not the official end of the war itself — the war continued for another eight days afterwards.
    2. B — Correct: the war officially ended in Europe through the unconditional surrender of the German Wehrmacht on 8/9 May 1945.
    3. C — A mere withdrawal without formal surrender did not take place; the surrender was the official, internationally significant act.
    4. D — There was no revolution that ended the war; the war ended through military defeat and surrender.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  9. Question 9 of 33Catalogue question 269

    In Germany, children from the age of three until they first start school have a right to …

    1. A — Pocket money is a private, voluntary contribution from parents, not a statutory entitlement against the state.
    2. B — There is no statutory entitlement to a place in a sports club.
    3. C — Correct: under § 24(2) of Book VIII of the Social Code, children from the completed age of three until starting school have a legal entitlement to a childcare place in a day-care facility.
    4. D — A "holiday pass" is a local offer in some cities, not a nationwide statutory entitlement.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  10. Question 10 of 33Catalogue question 294

    Pentecost is a …

    1. A — Correct: Pentecost is a Christian holiday celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit fifty days after Easter.
    2. B — Pentecost is not a secular German day of remembrance like German Unity Day, but a religious festival.
    3. C — Pentecost is a joyful festival in Christianity, not a day of mourning.
    4. D — Pentecost is observed nationwide as a statutory public holiday, not only in Bavaria.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  11. Question 11 of 33Catalogue question 161

    What characterised the Nazi state? A policy of …

    1. A — Correct: with the Nuremberg Laws and its racial ideology, the Nazi state pursued a systematic, state-institutionalised racism that led to the Holocaust.
    2. B — Freedom of expression was abolished; dissenting opinions were persecuted.
    3. C — Religious communities were under heavy state pressure, and Jews were persecuted precisely because of their identity — this was not freedom of religion.
    4. D — The opposite was true: the democracy of the Weimar Republic was destroyed, not developed further.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  12. Question 12 of 33Catalogue question 249

    In Germany, who is mainly responsible for raising children?

    1. A — The state exercises a supervisory function (the guardianship role) but is not the main party responsible for day-to-day upbringing.
    2. B — Correct: under Art. 6(2) of the Basic Law, the upbringing of children is primarily the responsibility of the parents.
    3. C — Other relatives can provide support but do not carry the primary legal responsibility.
    4. D — Schools are responsible for education and contribute to upbringing, but the main responsibility lies with the parents.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  13. Question 13 of 33Catalogue question 290

    You bought a television in Germany. At home you unpack the television, but it does not work. The television is broken. What can you do?

    1. A — A broken device is not a criminal matter but a civil-law warranty case — a police report is not the right remedy.
    2. B — Correct: for a defective purchased item, you can, under the warranty provisions of the Civil Code (§ 437), make a claim with the seller and demand supplementary performance (repair or replacement).
    3. C — Exchanging the device unilaterally without prior agreement is not the legally intended route; the claim to the seller comes first.
    4. D — The warranty is a voluntary manufacturer's commitment and cannot simply be "extended" unilaterally; that is not a response step to a defective device.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  14. Question 14 of 33Catalogue question 243

    Maik and Sybille want to hold a demonstration on the street with friends where they live in Germany. What must they do beforehand?

    1. A — Correct: under the Assembly Act, public open-air assemblies must be registered with the responsible authority at least 48 hours in advance — freedom of assembly (Art. 8 Basic Law) still exists, but with this formal requirement.
    2. B — Pure freedom of assembly without any formal registration requirement does not apply to registered open-air demonstrations; registration is provided for by law.
    3. C — Demonstrations are precisely a protected basic right in Germany (Art. 8 Basic Law), not fundamentally forbidden.
    4. D — There is no requirement to found a club for demonstrations; private individuals and loose groups may also demonstrate, provided they register.

    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 83

    Who elects the German Federal Chancellor?

    1. A — There is no direct popular election of the Federal Chancellor.
    2. B — The Federal Convention elects only the Federal President.
    3. C — Correct: the Bundestag elects the Federal Chancellor under Art. 63 of the Basic Law.
    4. D — The federal government consists of the Chancellor and the ministers and does not elect itself.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  17. Question 17 of 33Catalogue question 35

    What does the German state use to finance social insurance?

    1. A — Church tax finances religious communities, not state social insurance.
    2. B — Correct: social security contributions (to pension, health, long-term care, unemployment and accident insurance), paid jointly by employees and employers, finance social insurance.
    3. C — Donations are voluntary and are not a load-bearing source of funding for social insurance.
    4. D — Club membership fees finance clubs, not the state social insurance system.

    Source: www.bundesregierung.de

  18. Question 18 of 33Catalogue question 166

    At which demonstrations in Germany did people chant "We are the people"?

    1. A — At the 1953 uprising in East Germany, social and economic demands were at the forefront; the slogan "We are the people" was not coined at that time.
    2. B — The 1968 student protests in the Federal Republic were directed against social and political grievances in the West, not against the East German leadership.
    3. C — The 1985 anti-nuclear-power protests had different thematic priorities and took place in the West.
    4. D — Correct: at the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig and other East German cities in autumn 1989, people chanted "We are the people" — a central slogan of the peaceful revolution against the SED regime.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  19. Question 19 of 33Catalogue question 103

    What is referred to in Germany as a "traffic light coalition"? The cooperation …

    1. A — The CDU and CSU are sister parties with a joint parliamentary group, not a "traffic light" alliance of three parties.
    2. B — Correct: "traffic light coalition" refers to the alliance of SPD (red), FDP (yellow) and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (green) — named after the three party colours, which match the colours of a traffic light. This coalition governed Germany from 2021 to 2024.
    3. C — This combination of parties does not match the historical traffic-light coalition or its colour scheme.
    4. D — An alliance of CDU and SPD is called a "grand coalition", not a traffic-light coalition.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  20. Question 20 of 33Catalogue question 187

    Which German state had a black-red-gold flag with a hammer, compass and wreath of grain?

    1. A — Prussia was a historical kingdom with its own flag (black and white), long before this symbolism.
    2. B — The Federal Republic uses the plain black-red-gold flag without an emblem (Art. 22 Basic Law).
    3. C — The "Third Reich" used the swastika flag, not a hammer, compass and wreath of grain.
    4. D — Correct: from 1959, the East German (GDR) flag showed the state emblem — a hammer (the working class), a compass (the intelligentsia) and a wreath of grain (the peasantry) — on a black-red-gold background.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  21. Question 21 of 33Catalogue question 268

    A young woman wants to get her driving licence. She is afraid of the test because her native language is not German. What is correct?

    1. A — There is no ten-year residence requirement for obtaining a driving licence in Germany.
    2. B — German language skills are not a legal requirement for a driving licence; the theory test can be taken in several languages.
    3. C — The driving licence can be obtained in Germany regardless of native language — moving to the country of origin is not necessary.
    4. D — Correct: the theoretical driving test in Germany can be taken in numerous foreign languages (well over ten), which considerably eases access.

    Source: www.bundesregierung.de

  22. Question 22 of 33Catalogue question 203

    What was East Germany's economic system called?

    1. A — A market economy is based on free competition — the opposite model to the East German economy.
    2. B — Correct: East Germany operated a centrally directed socialist planned economy, in which the state determined production and prices.
    3. C — "Supply and demand" describes market mechanisms, which precisely did not determine prices in East Germany's planned economy.
    4. D — Capitalism describes a market economic order with private ownership of the means of production — the opposite of East Germany's system.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  23. Question 23 of 33Catalogue question 280

    If you want to challenge an incorrect tax assessment in Germany, you must …

    1. A — Inaction results in the incorrect assessment becoming final after the deadline expires — you lose the right to have it corrected.
    2. B — Throwing the notice away does not change its legal validity; the obligation to pay remains.
    3. C — Correct: an objection to an incorrect tax assessment must be filed in writing with the tax office within one month of notification (§ 355 Fiscal Code).
    4. D — Waiting leads to the incorrect assessment becoming final once the deadline expires; a new notice does not arrive automatically.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  24. Question 24 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

  25. Question 25 of 33Catalogue question 155

    When were the National Socialists in power in Germany?

    1. A — 1888 to 1918 was the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the German Empire, long before the Nazi era.
    2. B — 1921 to 1934 is not correct: the Nazi party already existed but only came to power in 1933.
    3. C — Correct: Nazi rule lasted from Hitler's appointment as Reich Chancellor in 1933 to the unconditional surrender in 1945.
    4. D — 1949 to 1963 falls within the early Federal Republic under Adenauer, after the end of the Nazi regime.

    Source: www.bpb.de

  26. Question 26 of 33Catalogue question 133

    What is permitted at Bundestag and Landtag elections in Germany?

    1. A — Voting on someone else's behalf is forbidden — the right to vote is strictly personal (exception: an assistant for someone with a disability, who only provides technical support and does not decide themselves).
    2. B — Correct: postal voting (§ 36 Federal Elections Act) is a permitted, and in practice very commonly used, way to cast a vote without appearing in person at the polling station.
    3. C — Voting by phone is not permitted, for reasons of ballot secrecy and protection against fraud.
    4. D — The minimum voting age for Bundestag and most Landtag elections is 18, not 14.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  27. Question 27 of 33Catalogue question 97

    What do you automatically pay in Germany if you are in permanent employment?

    1. A — Correct: in employment subject to social insurance, contributions to pension, health, long-term care and unemployment insurance are automatically deducted from salary.
    2. B — Social assistance is paid out to people in need, not automatically paid by employees.
    3. C — Child benefit is paid out to parents; it is not an automatic payment made by employees.
    4. D — Housing benefit is a social benefit for people on low incomes toward rent, not an automatic contribution paid by employees.

    Source: www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de

  28. Question 28 of 33Catalogue question 23

    In Germany, most people in employment are …

    1. A — Family businesses exist, but they employ only a small share of the total workforce.
    2. B — Voluntary work is unpaid and does not describe the majority of employed people who earn their living this way.
    3. C — Only a minority of people in employment in Germany are self-employed; the large majority are employees.
    4. D — Correct: the large majority of people in employment in Germany are in dependent employment with a company or in the public sector.

    Source: www.destatis.de

  29. Question 29 of 33Catalogue question 221

    Germany is a member of the Schengen Agreement. What does that mean?

    1. A — Correct: the Schengen Area comprises most EU states (and a few more), between which there are no longer systematic passport checks at internal borders.
    2. B — The Schengen Area applies only between member states; entry from non-member countries remains subject to border controls and entry requirements.
    3. C — Schengen applies only within the Schengen Area, not worldwide — not "any country".
    4. D — The common euro currency is a separate arrangement (the eurozone), independent of the Schengen Agreement on freedom of travel.

    Source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

  30. Question 30 of 33Catalogue question 273

    For problems with raising children, in Germany you go …

    1. A — Doctors are responsible for medical matters, not primarily for advice on upbringing.
    2. B — The public health office is responsible for health matters, not specifically for problems with upbringing.
    3. C — The residents' registration office handles residence matters, not advice on upbringing.
    4. D — Correct: under the Child and Youth Welfare Act (Book VIII of the Social Code), the youth welfare office offers advice and support for problems with raising children.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  31. Questions on Rhineland-Palatinate

    Question 31 of 33Rhineland-Palatinate · Catalogue question 10

    Which minister does Rhineland-Palatinate not have?

    1. A — A justice ministry is one of the classic departments of every state government, including Rhineland-Palatinate's.
    2. B — Correct: foreign policy is exclusively a federal matter (Art. 32 Basic Law); no federal state — including Rhineland-Palatinate — has its own foreign ministry.
    3. C — A finance ministry is one of the classic departments of every state government, including Rhineland-Palatinate's.
    4. D — An interior ministry is one of the classic departments of every state government, including Rhineland-Palatinate's.

    Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de

  32. Question 32 of 33Rhineland-Palatinate · Catalogue question 5

    What colours does the state flag of Rhineland-Palatinate have?

    1. A — White and red is not Rhineland-Palatinate's state flag; that is associated with Hamburg or Berlin.
    2. B — Correct: Rhineland-Palatinate's state flag shows the federal colours black, red and gold.
    3. C — Black and yellow is not Rhineland-Palatinate's state flag; that is associated with Saxony-Anhalt.
    4. D — Green, white and red is not Rhineland-Palatinate's flag; that is associated with North Rhine-Westphalia.

    Source: www.rlp.de

  33. Question 33 of 33Rhineland-Palatinate · Catalogue question 6

    Where can you get information about political topics in Rhineland-Palatinate?

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

    Source: www.politische-bildung-rlp.de

Questions on Rhineland-Palatinate · Practice tests

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