Germany will now include questions on the Holocaust, Judaism, and Israel in its citizenship test to filter out antisemites among applicants, according to a report by Der Spiegel published Tuesday.
“If you don’t share our values, you can’t get a German passport. We have drawn a crystal clear red line here,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a member of the Social Democratic Party, told Spiegel. “Antisemitism, racism, and other forms of contempt for humanity preclude naturalization.”
The naturalization test contains 33 questions, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Seventeen questions must be answered correctly to pass. Subject areas currently include “Living in a Democracy,” “History and Responsibility,” and “People and Society.”
Three test questions are about the federal land in which the applicant is registered as having their primary place of residence. The only applicants who are not required to take the test are those who attended German schools, children, or those who have a physical, psychological, or mental illness or disability.
The Interior Ministry has revised the questionnaire for the test in recent months, also in light of rhetoric and violence against Jews in Germany. The federal government has decided not to include a requirement for an explicit commitment to Israel’s right to exist before naturalization, although it will include other related questions.
The test will include questions such as what a Jewish prayer house is called, when the State of Israel was founded, and what constitutes Germany’s special responsibility for Israel. Additionally, questions such as how Holocaust denial is punished in Germany and who is allowed to become a member of the approximately 40 Jewish Maccabi sports clubs are options for possible questions.
Federal Interior Minister Faeser considers these additional questions to be a positive development in combating antisemitism and racism in Germany.
“The German crime against humanity of the Holocaust results in our special responsibility for the protection of Jews and the protection of the State of Israel,” she resolved. “This responsibility is part of our identity today.” She argues that anyone who wants to be a German citizen must know “what that means and acknowledge German’s responsibility.”
Germany's amended citizenship requirements
Germany recently agreed to ease strict citizenship laws, including reducing the time required to apply for citizenship from eight to five years and making dual nationality more available. Those who are particularly well-integrated and have very good German language skills will be able to obtain nationality after three years.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal Interior Minister Faeser have spearheaded efforts to reform citizenship requirements since 2021, mainly due to the country's labor shortages, according to a report in Politico.
The change to the citizenship law was put forward in August 2023. Still, it came under scrutiny after the October 7 massacre in Israel and amid a rise in antisemitic incidents in Germany. In addition to a commitment to the constitution, applicants will be required to commit to protecting Jewish life in Germany.
Commitment against antisemitism
In November, the Federal Ministery of the Interior banned Hamas, as well as the international organization Samidoun - Palestinian Solidarity Network, from all activity in Germany. “Today, I banned all activity in Germany by Hamas, a terrorist organization whose aim is to destroy the State of Israel,” the Federal Minister stated.
"Samidoun is an international network which disseminates anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda while claiming to promote solidarity with prisoners in different countries. There is no place in Germany for antisemitism – no matter the source," she added.
Although freedom of speech and assembly are fundamental rights in Germany, gatherings may be prohibited if there is a risk of antisemitic incidents. "We will not allow any demonstrations praising Hamas terrorism or inciting hatred against Jewish people or the State of Israel. If this happens, the police must take immediate and rigorous action to stop it," the Federal minister concluded.