TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

132. Many people in Germany do voluntary work in their free time. What does that mean?

Official German wording

Viele Menschen in Deutschland arbeiten in ihrer Freizeit ehrenamtlich. Was bedeutet das?

  1. Sie arbeiten als Soldaten / Soldatinnen.
  2. Sie arbeiten freiwillig und unbezahlt in Vereinen und Verbänden.
  3. Sie arbeiten in der Bundesregierung.
  4. Sie arbeiten in einem Krankenhaus und verdienen dabei Geld.

Answer options

  1. They work as soldiers.
  2. They work voluntarily and without pay in associations and federations.
  3. They work in the Federal Government.
  4. They work in a hospital and earn money doing so.

Correct answer

They work voluntarily and without pay in associations and federations.

Explanation

“Ehrenamtlich” denotes voluntary, as a rule unpaid, service typically performed within associations and federations (sections 21 ff. German Civil Code/BGB), forming a core of civil-society engagement. Constitutionally, it is supported by freedom of association (Art. 9(1) Basic Law) and the social state principle (Art. 20(1) BL), operationalizing subsidiarity in disaster relief, sport, culture, and welfare. Historically, Germany’s Vereinswesen emerged in the 19th century (gymnastics and choral clubs, volunteer fire brigades) and has shaped the Federal Republic’s democratic civic culture since 1949. Unpaid status permits reimbursement of expenses and tax-favored allowances (trainer and honorary allowances, sec. 3 nos. 26, 26a Income Tax Act/EStG).

Official sources

The German questions come from the original BAMF catalog for the Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland. Translations and explanations are study aids; verify legal details in the official sources.