Einbürgerungstest topic guide
German History (Geschichte Deutschlands)
The German history the Einbürgerungstest actually tests: the Nazi dictatorship, division into East and West, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and reunification — with dates and a real exam question.
“Geschichte und Verantwortung” is the second area of the test. It is about the 20th century: the Weimar Republic, National Socialism and the Holocaust, the Second World War, the division of Germany and the reunification.
The guide gives the key dates and tells what happened on them, and why the memory of this time is part of the identity of the Federal Republic.
German history and responsibility
From the Empire and the Weimar Republic through National Socialism and the division to reunification in 1990.
What each guide covers
- From the Empire to the Weimar RepublicGermany became a national state only in 1871, under the Emperor.
- National Socialism, the Second World War and the HolocaustOn 30 January 1933 Adolf Hitler became Chancellor.
- The division of Germany and the WallAfter 1945 Germany was occupied by the four Allies, and it became two states in the Cold War.
- The fall of the Wall and reunificationIn 1989 the people of the GDR demonstrated for freedom, and the dictatorship ended without a war.
- Responsibility and remembranceGermany accepts its responsibility for the crimes of National Socialism, and the remembrance is part of the identity of the Federal Republic.
Remember for the exam
- 1871 Empire; 1919 Weimar Republic (first democracy); 1933 Hitler Chancellor; 1939–1945 Second World War; Holocaust.
- 8 May 1945 end of the war; 23 May 1949 Basic Law and FRG; 7 October 1949 GDR; 13 August 1961 Wall.
- 9 November 1989 fall of the Wall; 3 October 1990 reunification, national holiday.
- 27 January remembrance of the victims; Stolpersteine; the responsibility of Germany.
A real Einbürgerungstest question on this topic
Q: "Wann waren die Nationalsozialisten mit Adolf Hitler in Deutschland an der Macht?" (When were the National Socialists under Adolf Hitler in power in Germany?) — A: "1933 bis 1945" (1933 to 1945).
Questions people ask
Do I need to memorise many dates for this topic?
A handful of them, repeated across questions: 1933 and 1945 (the Nazi dictatorship), 1949 (division into two states), 1961 and 1989 (the Berlin Wall), and 1990 (reunification). Almost every history question anchors to one of these.
Is the DDR (East Germany) covered in depth, or just its ending?
Mostly its structure and its ending: that it was a one-party state distinct from the West, and that mass protests — not a war — brought the Wall down in 1989, ahead of formal reunification the following year.
Where can I practise every official question on this topic?
Asagno's Einbürgerungstest learning mode and its dedicated Life in Germany & History quiz both draw on the real official question bank, with the correct answer shown, so you learn the actual exam content rather than a paraphrase.
Which dates do I need to know?
30 January 1933 (Hitler becomes Chancellor), 8 May 1945 (the end of the war), 23 May 1949 (the Basic Law), 13 August 1961 (the Wall is built), 9 November 1989 (the Wall falls) and 3 October 1990 (reunification).
Why is 9 November a special date?
Because of two events: the pogroms against the Jews in 1938 and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It is a day of remembrance and of joy.
More guides
Ready to practise?
Study the questions by theme, then take the timed practice exam.