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Last update - 15:01 14/07/2008 Jewish leaders in Germany slam Holocaust omission from citizenship test By Asaf Uni, Haaretz Correspondent, Berlin Tags: Germany, Jewish World  Jewish community leaders in Germany last week criticized the interior ministry's planned citizenship exam for new immigrants, which features a questionnaire that does not make any mention of the Holocaust. Imitating a trend taking hold in other European countries, Germany will require immigrants who wish to obtain citizenship to pass a 33-question "proficiency exam." The new policy is slated to go into effect this coming September. Stephen Kramer, a senior official of the Central Council of Jews, told the British Telegraph newspaper that omitting any Holocaust-related questions reflects a "strange understanding of history." Advertisement Kramer said he was puzzled that Judaism was not mentioned as one of four possible answers to the question, "Which religion exerted the most influence on German and European culture?" The initiative was introduced by the German interior ministry, under the stewardship of minister Wolfgang Schaeuble of the ruling Christian Democratic Union party, as part of its policy of assimilating foreign-born Germans into society. The list, and the wording, of the questions that are to appear on the exam has angered the heads of the Jewish community as well as those within the sizeable Turkish population in the country. Among the easier questions on the exam: "What are the colors of the German flag?" (Black, red, and gold); "Who composed the 'Ode to Joy'?" (Beethoven) Some of the more controversial questions include: "In Germany, people can freely criticize the government due to: A. Freedom of religion; B. The obligation to pay taxes; C. The right to vote; D. Freedom of speech; and "What activity do Germans usually do on Easter?" (Painting eggs) The head of the Turkish community in Germany, Kenan Kolat, also criticized the framing of the questions, saying they do not test the taker's knowledge but rather "to some extent, they test values." The exam was written by a team of experts from the Humboldt University of Berlin and was administered to students. It is just one of other requirements that would-be citizens must fulfill. Applicants must also demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the German language and they must be free of a criminal record. An estimated seven million immigrants live in Germany, the overwhelming majority of them from Turkey. More Jewish World news and features Related articles: Man arrested after spraying graffiti on Berlin's Holocaust memorial New museum to show Cologne's Jewish life dates back 1,700 years (2006) Graduate student pushes for Jewish state in Germany Bookmark to del.icio.us   The bigger apple Study shows Tel Aviv is more expensive to live in than New York. When bedbugs bite After 40 years' absence, Israel braces for return of the bedbug.   1.   Holocaust 17:01  |  Palestinian Brit 13/07/08   2.   that test`s a joke 17:30  |  joki 13/07/08   3.   German Jews are right! 17:52  |  Efroim 13/07/08   4.   HERE`S WHY GERMANS ARE LIKE THIS : 17:56  |  MOSHE 13/07/08   5.   Kramer the usual idiot 17:58  |  Axel 13/07/08   6.   More Arab & Muslim Immigrants in Germany 18:06  |  GZLives 13/07/08   7.   to #1 pal 18:37  |  Marcelo 13/07/08   8.   To Palestinian Brit 18:47  |  Yosi 13/07/08   9.   The world will laugh even more about the .... 18:54  |  Dav 13/07/08   10.   Here more questions to be added to the exam 19:09  |  Historian 13/07/08   11.   Germans and Austrians want to pretend Holocaust never happened 19:26  |  Albert 13/07/08   12.   An Arab who speaks on behalf of the Germans 19:28  |  EgyptJewRefugee 13/07/08   13.   No 1. And the Palestinians are not the only "Refugees" 19:30  |  Liliane 13/07/08   14.   Palestinian Brit - You are not real... Your kind doesn`t even 19:48  |  stinglikeabee 13/07/08   15.   # 5 marcelo 19:58  |  Axel 13/07/08   16.   Is the Nakba or the occupation part of Israeli citizen test? 20:05  |  German Aryan 13/07/08   17.   Answer: Christianity exerted the most influence in German culture 20:10  |  German now? 13/07/08   18.   #11, "German Aryan" 20:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/07/08   19.   FINALLY 20:50  |  Peter 13/07/08   20.   To #11 21:25  |  Jan 13/07/08   21.   Is there no end to this interference in other states 21:27  |  Labhras 13/07/08   22.   #13 Lillianne in Brighton 21:40  |  Labhras 13/07/08   23.   who have blackmailed most money from Germans since WWII? 21:44  |  answer 13/07/08   24.   Germany and its eternal guilt. 21:45  |  Jose Marcio 13/07/08   25.   Jews demand eternal veto power over German policy 21:53  |  Natallie Durson 13/07/08   26.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 22:28  |  German Aryan 13/07/08   27.   stinglikebee - Only if your people go to Israel 22:32  |  European 13/07/08   28.   to stinglikeabee and nothing called israel 22:38  |  john 13/07/08   29.   What should the question be? 22:44  |  Andreas 13/07/08   30.   Seems to be unbearable for Stephan Kramer ... 23:08  |  Axel 13/07/08   31.   I guess some Germans wouldn´t score enough 23:58  |  Jew- and Bookburner 13/07/08   32.   Jose Marcio 01:09  |  Apple 14/07/08   33.   Jews In Germany - Don`t Slam, Just Leave 06:58  |  Tod Zuckerman 14/07/08   34.   The Holocaust must be remembered and..... 08:01  |  Janice 14/07/08   35.   money stolen by the Germans 08:47  |  Heinz 14/07/08   36.   marcelo 7 19:07  |  potobac 16/07/08

Read & React Obama to PM: Iran action legitimate only if talks fail Responses: 154 Shin Bet head Diskin: Truce with Hamas unlikely to hold Responses: 79 Iran convoy attacked reportedly while taking arms to Hezbollah Responses: 95 Report: PA mulling unilateral declaration of statehood Responses: 97 Report: Ex-Mossad chief says strike on Iran could 'affect us for 100 years' Responses: 61 Rosner's Domain Barack Obama, the fashionable darling of the Israeli left The Lebanese are undercutting goodwill in Washington (WTR) Is Jimmy Carter 'tone-deaf' to Jewish sensibilities? (WTR) Will Lebanon pay the price for the prisoner swap deal? More Headlines 02:49 Report: Ex-Mossad chief says strike on Iran could 'affect us for 100 years' 01:12 Five Palestinians killed in three separate Gaza bombings 13:21 Iran convoy attacked reportedly while taking arms to Hezbollah 15:15 Report: PA mulling unilateral declaration of statehood 20:52 Barak: Law enforcement system must be protected from Olmert's assaults 19:23 Did outcome of early Hitler trial alter the course of history? 10:56 IDF commander: We must deal with settler 'provocateurs' 09:40 Obama to PM: Iran action legitimate only if talks fail 15:08 Matters of Deterrence / Shin Bet head Diskin: Cease-fire with Hamas unlikely to hold 16:25 Motor racing's Mosley sues German paper over Nazi-themed orgy claim 11:12 FAA finds serious flaws in flight safety at Israeli airports 08:01 U.S. protests eviction of Arab family from East Jerusalem home 15:12 When it comes to psychometric exam, Haredi Jews do it better 05:49 Scientist tells Israelis: Hang up your cell phones already Previous Editions Select Day 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul

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