All Important Vocabulary for the Einbürgerungstest

Many questions in the Einbürgerungstest contain difficult German words that are rarely used in everyday life. Terms like "Gewaltenteilung", "Föderalismus", or "Volkssouveränität" are not always clear even for native speakers. In this glossary you will find all important vocabulary from the official BAMF question catalogue; explained simply at B1 level. This way you understand not only the answer, but also the question.

1. Politics and Democracy

These terms appear in questions about fundamental rights, the structure of the state, elections, and social insurance. They make up the largest part of the test.

Meinungsfreiheit

The right to freely express your own opinion; for example in conversations, on the internet, or in newspapers. In Germany, freedom of expression is a fundamental right. → Practice Question 1

Religionsfreiheit

The right to believe in any god or in none at all. You may freely choose and practice your religion. → Practice Question 7

Grundgesetz

The constitution of Germany; the most important law of the country. It governs the fundamental rights of people and the structure of the state. → Practice Question 6

Grundrechte

The most important rights of every person in Germany, written in the Grundgesetz. For example: freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and equality before the law. → Practice Question 4

Menschenwürde

The principle that every person is valuable and must be respected. It is stated in Article 1 of the Grundgesetz: "Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar." → Practice Question 18

Rechtsstaat

A state in which everyone must obey the laws; including the government and the police. No one is above the law. → Practice Question 3

Verfassung

The supreme law of a country. In Germany, the constitution is called the "Grundgesetz". It determines the rules for the state and the rights of citizens. → Practice Question 11

Verfassungswidrig

Something that violates the constitution (the Grundgesetz). A party that wants to establish a dictatorship, for example, is unconstitutional. → Practice Question 20

Demokratie

A form of government in which the people hold the power. Citizens elect their representatives in free elections. There are multiple parties and freedom of expression. → Practice Question 30

Republik

A form of government without a king or emperor. The head of state is elected; in Germany, that is the Bundespräsident. → Practice Question 22

Diktatur

A form of government in which one person or one group holds all power. There are no free elections and no freedom of expression. → Practice Question 20

Monarchie

A form of government in which a king or queen rules. Germany is not a monarchy but a republic. → Practice Question 34

Gewaltenteilung

The separation of state power into three areas: legislation (Legislative), government (Exekutive), and courts (Judikative). No branch should have too much power. → Practice Question 32

Legislative

The legislative power. These are the parliaments (Bundestag and Bundesrat) that pass new laws. → Practice Question 60

Exekutive

The executive power. This is the government with its agencies, the police, and the ministries. It enforces the laws. → Practice Question 54

Judikative

The judicial power. These are the courts and judges that decide on right and wrong. → Practice Question 141

Bundestag

The parliament of all of Germany. The members are elected by the people and pass the laws. → Practice Question 74

Bundesrat

The representation of the 16 federal states at the national level. The Bundesrat participates in the legislative process. → Practice Question 85

Bundespräsident

The head of state of Germany. He represents the country, appoints the Bundeskanzler, and signs laws. → Practice Question 75

Bundeskanzler

The head of government of Germany. He leads the federal government and determines the political direction. → Practice Question 72

Bundesversammlung

A special assembly that only convenes to elect the Bundespräsident. It consists of Bundestag members and representatives of the federal states. → Practice Question 86

Bundesverfassungsgericht

The highest court in Germany for questions about the Grundgesetz. It checks whether laws are compatible with the constitution. → Practice Question 80

Koalition

The cooperation of two or more parties to form a government together. For example, the "Ampelkoalition" of SPD, FDP, and the Greens. → Practice Question 31

Opposition

All members of parliament who do not belong to the government. The opposition monitors the government and offers alternatives. → Practice Question 13

Fraktion

A group of members of the same party in parliament. The strongest Fraktion often provides the president of the Bundestag. → Practice Question 89

Abgeordneter

A representative elected by the people to serve in parliament. Members of parliament discuss and pass laws. → Practice Question 28

Legislaturperiode

The term for which a parliament is elected. The German Bundestag is elected for 4 years. → Practice Question 109

Föderalismus / Bundesstaat

A system in which power is divided between the federal government (central state) and the federal states. Each federal state has its own government. → Practice Question 26

Sozialstaat

A state that provides social security for its citizens; for example through health insurance, unemployment benefits, and pensions. Germany is a welfare state. → Practice Question 34

Volkssouveränität

The principle that all state power comes from the people. The people determine through elections who governs. → Practice Question 52

Wahlrecht

The right to participate in elections. "Aktives Wahlrecht" means the right to vote; "passives Wahlrecht" means the right to be elected. → Practice Question 114

Zweitstimme

In the Bundestag election, the vote for a party. The more Zweitstimmen a party receives, the more seats it has in parliament. → Practice Question 93

Verhältniswahlrecht

An electoral system in which seats in parliament are distributed proportionally to the votes. Germany has a mixed system of majority and proportional representation. → Practice Question 119

5-Prozent-Hürde

A party must receive at least 5% of the votes to enter the Bundestag. This prevents too many small parties from making it difficult to form a government. → Practice Question 120

Pressefreiheit

The right of the media (newspapers, television, internet) to report freely. The state may not control or censor the press. → Practice Question 12

Pressezensur

When the state controls what is published in newspapers and media. In a democracy, press censorship is prohibited. → Practice Question 30

Versammlungsfreiheit

The right to gather peacefully and without weapons; for example for demonstrations. They must be registered with the police in advance. → Practice Question 148

Freizügigkeit

The right to freely choose where you live in Germany. You may move anywhere you want. → Practice Question 19

Petition

A written request or complaint to the parliament or a government authority. Every person in Germany has the right to submit a petition. → Practice Question 17

Sozialversicherung

A system that protects employees. It includes: health insurance, pension insurance, unemployment insurance, accident insurance, and long-term care insurance. → Practice Question 35

Pflegeversicherung

An insurance that helps when you need care in old age or due to illness. It is part of the social insurance system. → Practice Question 45

Soziale Marktwirtschaft

The economic system in Germany. The economy operates on supply and demand, but the state ensures social balance. → Practice Question 50

Ehrenamt

Voluntary work without pay; for example in clubs, with the fire department, or as an election helper. → Practice Question 130

Gewerkschaft

An organization that represents the interests of employees. Trade unions negotiate, for example, over wages and working conditions. → Practice Question 101

Schöffe / Schöffin

A volunteer judge. Schöffen are ordinary citizens who decide on guilt and punishment together with the professional judge. → Practice Question 138

Ministerpräsident

The head of government of a federal state. Each federal state has its own Ministerpräsident. → Practice Question 37

Verfassungsorgane

The most important state institutions according to the Grundgesetz: Bundestag, Bundesrat, Bundesregierung, Bundespräsident, and Bundesverfassungsgericht. → Practice Question 48

Antisemitismus

Hatred and prejudice against Jews. Antisemitic behavior includes, for example: denying the Holocaust or destroying Jewish symbols. → Practice Question 143

Holocaust

The systematic murder of approximately 6 million Jews by the National Socialists. Denying the Holocaust in Germany is a criminal offense. → Practice Question 96

Synagoge

A Jewish house of prayer; the place where Jews hold their religious services. → Practice Question 181

2. History and Responsibility

These terms appear in questions about German history; from the Nazi era to reunification and the European Union.

Nationalsozialismus (NS)

The political ideology of Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP. The National Socialists ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945 as a dictatorship. → Practice Question 152

Drittes Reich

The name for the German state under the rule of the National Socialists from 1933 to 1945. → Practice Question 155

Machtergreifung

The seizure of power by Hitler and the NSDAP in 1933. Hitler became Reichskanzler and established a dictatorship. → Practice Question 156

Gleichschaltung

The control of all areas of life by the National Socialists; press, associations, parties, and culture were subordinated to the Nazi state. → Practice Question 159

Konzentrationslager

Camps where the National Socialists held people captive, forced them into labor, and murdered them; mainly Jews, but also other groups. → Practice Question 159

Reichspogromnacht

The night of November 9 to 10, 1938, when synagogues and Jewish businesses were destroyed across Germany. → Practice Question 164

Stolpersteine

Small memorial stones in the ground in front of houses where victims of National Socialism lived. They commemorate the murdered people. → Practice Question 205

Kapitulation

The surrender in war. On May 8, 1945, Germany signed the unconditional surrender; World War II in Europe was over. → Practice Question 178

Besatzungszone

After 1945, Germany was divided into four zones. Each zone was controlled by a victorious power: the USA, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. → Practice Question 167

Berliner Luftbrücke

In 1948/49, the Western powers supplied West Berlin by aircraft because the Soviet Union had blocked all land routes. → Practice Question 177

Kalter Krieg

The political conflict between the West (USA, NATO) and the East (Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact) after 1945; without direct war, but with great tension. → Practice Question 226

Eiserner Vorhang

The border between the communist states in the East and the democratic states in Western Europe during the Cold War. → Practice Question 184

DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik)

The German state in the East from 1949 to 1990. The GDR was a dictatorship under the influence of the Soviet Union. → Practice Question 189

BRD (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)

The democratic German state in the West, founded in 1949. After reunification in 1990, the FRG is the unified German state. → Practice Question 210

Stasi

The secret police of the GDR (Ministry for State Security). It surveilled the population and suppressed political opponents. → Practice Question 198

Planwirtschaft

An economic system in which the state determines what is produced and at what price. The GDR had a planned economy. → Practice Question 202

Volksaufstand

On June 17, 1953, there were nationwide strikes and demonstrations against the government in the GDR. The uprising was crushed by Soviet tanks. → Practice Question 208

Montagsdemonstrationen

Peaceful demonstrations in the GDR in the autumn of 1989, in which people demanded free elections and freedom to travel. They contributed to the fall of the Wall. → Practice Question 166

Berliner Mauer

The wall that separated West Berlin from East Berlin and the GDR from 1961 to 1989. It was built by the GDR to prevent citizens from fleeing. → Practice Question 151

Mauerfall

On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall was opened. People could once again travel freely between East and West. → Practice Question 190

Wiedervereinigung

On October 3, 1990, the East German states joined the Federal Republic. Germany became one state again. This day is now the "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" (German Unity Day). → Practice Question 193

Die Wende

The peaceful transition from dictatorship in the GDR to democracy in the years 1989/1990. → Practice Question 195

Warschauer Pakt

The military alliance of communist states under the leadership of the Soviet Union. The GDR was a member. → Practice Question 201

Wirtschaftswunder

The rapid economic boom in the Federal Republic in the 1950s after the war. → Practice Question 182

Schengener Abkommen

An agreement that allows travel between many European countries without passport controls. → Practice Question 219

Europäische Integration

The process in which European states cooperate ever more closely; economically, politically, and culturally. The result is the European Union. → Practice Question 228

Römische Verträge

The treaties of 1957 that established the European Economic Community (EEC); an important step toward today's EU. → Practice Question 234

3. Society and Everyday Life

These terms appear in questions about rights and duties in everyday life, family, education, work, and religion.

Schulpflicht

The obligation that all children in Germany must attend school from the age of 6. Parents cannot freely decide otherwise. → Practice Question 95

Erziehungsrecht

The right of parents to raise their children. In Germany, raising children is primarily the responsibility of the parents; not the state. → Practice Question 249

Mutterschutz

Legal protection for pregnant women in the workplace. During pregnancy, a woman may not be dismissed. → Practice Question 104

Elterngeld / Elternzeit

Financial support from the state for parents after the birth of a child. During parental leave, you can stay at home and take care of the child. → Practice Question 241

Volljährig

From the age of 18, you are considered an adult in Germany. You may then vote, sign contracts, or live on your own, for example. → Practice Question 246

Strafmündig

From the age of 14, you can be punished for a criminal offense in Germany. Before that, you are not criminally responsible. → Practice Question 262

Gleichberechtigung

The principle that all people have equal rights; regardless of gender, origin, religion, or disability. → Practice Question 150

Diskriminierung

The unfair treatment of people because of their skin color, religion, origin, gender, or a disability. Discrimination is prohibited in Germany. → Practice Question 280

Betriebsrat

An elected representation of employees in a company. The works council helps with workplace problems and represents the interests of staff. → Practice Question 285

Kündigungsfrist

The period of notice that must be observed before leaving or being dismissed from a job. It is stated in the employment contract. → Practice Question 286

Arbeitsgericht

A court responsible for disputes between employees and employers; for example in the case of an unfair dismissal. → Practice Question 134

Gaststättenkonzession

An official permit required to open a restaurant or pub in Germany. → Practice Question 256

Abitur

The highest school diploma in Germany. You need the Abitur to study at a university. → Practice Question 244

Briefgeheimnis

The right that no one may open other people's letters. Only the recipient may read their letter. → Practice Question 273

Einspruch / Widerspruch

A formal objection against a decision by a government authority; for example against an incorrect tax notice or a wrong bill. → Practice Question 279

Kirchensteuer

A tax paid by members of certain religious communities in Germany. It is collected together with income tax. → Practice Question 290

Adventszeit

The four weeks before Christmas. During this time, many people put up an Advent wreath and open an Advent calendar. → Practice Question 295

Rosenmontag / Karneval

A festival in February or March where people wear colorful costumes and masks. Especially well-known in Cologne, Mainz, and Düsseldorf. → Practice Question 263

Gastarbeiter

Foreign workers who came to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to help with reconstruction. The first came from Italy. → Practice Question 298

Volkshochschule (VHS)

An institution for adult education. You can learn languages or get the Abitur there, for example. → Practice Question 269

Jugendamt

A government authority that helps children and families. The Jugendamt can, for example, remove a child from a family if it is being abused. → Practice Question 258