TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

275. What is required in Germany for a divorce?

Official German wording

Was braucht man in Deutschland für eine Ehescheidung?

  1. die Einwilligung der Eltern
  2. ein Attest eines Arztes / einer Ärztin
  3. die Einwilligung der Kinder
  4. die Unterstützung eines Anwalts / einer Anwältin

Answer options

  1. the consent of the parents
  2. a medical certificate from a physician
  3. the consent of the children
  4. the assistance of a lawyer

Correct answer

the assistance of a lawyer

Explanation

Under Article 6(1) of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz), marriage and the family enjoy special protection; dissolution by divorce is governed by §§ 1564 et seq. of the Civil Code (BGB. Divorce proceedings are conducted before the family court under the Act on Proceedings in Family Matters (FamFG); counsel is mandatory at least for filing the petition (§ 114 FamFG), hence the need for a lawyer. Since the 1977 reform (First Marriage Law Reform Act), the breakdown principle with a standard one-year separation applies; parental or children’s consent or medical certificates are not prerequisites.

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.