What is the Jewish place of worship called?
When was the State of Israel founded?
Why does Germany have a special responsibility towards Israel?
These questions or others of the same order, Berlin plans to introduce them into its tests to acquire German nationality, announced Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, in an interview to appear Thursday in the weekly Der Spiegel.
“Anti-Semitism, racism and any form of contempt for humanity exclude the possibility of being naturalized,” she asserts.
The resurgence of anti-Semitic acts in Germany since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the attack on October 7 has pushed the government of Olaf Scholz to question the conditions for naturalization that he has just relaxed this year.
A “clear” commitment to becoming a German citizen
“Germany has a special responsibility towards the Jews and the State of Israel after the Holocaust, a crime against humanity that it committed,” the minister underlined.
Those who want to become Germans must know “what that means and commit to taking on this responsibility for Germany” which is part of the country’s “identity,” Nancy Faeser said.
Also Berlin has elevated Israel's security to the rank of reason of state.
This commitment must be “clear and credible”, she added.
The systematic extermination enterprise carried out by Nazi Germany led to the death of six million Jews.
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On January 19, German deputies adopted a law relaxing the conditions for obtaining nationality.
With the new legislation, it is possible to obtain a German passport after living in the country for five years and not eight as before, due in particular to the labor shortage.
In the event of integration deemed particularly successful (related to work or voluntary commitment), naturalization becomes possible after a three-year stay in Germany.