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Jewish leaders in Germany slam Shoah omission from citizenship test By Assaf Uni BERLIN - 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 mention the Holocaust. Imitating a trend that is taking hold in other European countries, too, 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. Advertisement Stephan Kramer, a senior official of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told the British Telegraph that omitting any Holocaust-related questions reflects a "strange understanding of history." 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 Schauble of the ruling Christian Democratic Union, 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 have angered the heads of the Jewish community as well as the country's sizable Turkish population. Among the easier questions on the exam: "What are the colors of the German flag?" (black, red and gold) or "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 questions, saying they do not test 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 several requirements would-be citizens must fulfill. Applicants must also demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the German language and they must not have a criminal record. An estimated seven million immigrants live in Germany, the overwhelming majority of them from Turkey. Bookmark to del.icio.us   History undersea Israeli lifeguard stumbles upon ancient relic during morning swim. Elections, Hebrew style U.S. presidential hopefuls use Hebrew to woo the Jewish community.

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