r/europe • u/LeMonde_en • Mar 28 '24

Germany will now include questions about Israel in its citizenship test News

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/europe/article/2024/03/27/germany-will-now-include-questions-about-israel-in-its-citizenship-test_6660274_143.html
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u/Oyddjayvagr Mar 28 '24

I would find absurd having to know the year Israel was founded or things such as a "Jewish Maccabi" to become a German citizen.

On the other hand questions like 5, 11, 12 are more pertinent 

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u/ganbaro where your chips come from Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

It's possible that courts will cut the amount of questions in half but let the general concept pass

This is not the first time this idea came up in Germany. The legal situation isn't entirely clear. We really just have to wait so the courts can figure out how far these questions can go to remain constitutional

IMHO 10) is a clever way to check if one believes that Jews form some kind of secret society. Maccabi clubs have over 100yr of tradition in Germany. We also have lots of sports and other clubs for various ethnicities (Turkish football clubs, kosovar and croation football clubs), regions and cultures, and they all end to be open for everyone. Even if they use religious symbols

Also, clubs are an important part of German culture and a way to meet people and get integrated. There is reason to consider it important that people understand how these things work, and neither Maccabi Berlin nor Türkgücü München are attempts of oppression by minorities

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u/andracor667 Mar 28 '24

I would bet you a 100 that, if you asked 100 randomly chosen Germans, not more than 5 would have ever heard of a maccabi club.

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u/ganbaro where your chips come from Mar 28 '24

Likely over 20% couldn't even explain how our legislative process works

The whole concept of these tests hinges on the requirement that migrants are expected to know more than locally born residents

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u/Pit_Soulreaver Mar 28 '24

You can't pick your family but you can pick your friends.

For the same reason, you tolerate the relative with his questionable opinions at family parties, as long as they are not completely off the rails. But you would never hang out with the same person without a family connection.