TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

276. What should you do if you are treated improperly by your point of contact at a German administrative authority?

Official German wording

Was sollten Sie tun, wenn Sie von Ihrem Ansprechpartner / Ihrer Ansprechpartnerin in einer deutschen Behörde schlecht behandelt werden?

  1. Ich kann nichts tun.
  2. Ich muss mir diese Behandlung gefallen lassen.
  3. Ich drohe der Person.
  4. Ich kann mich beim Behördenleiter / bei der Behördenleiterin beschweren.

Answer options

  1. I can’t do anything.
  2. I have to put up with this treatment.
  3. I threaten the person.
  4. I can lodge a complaint with the head of the authority.

Correct answer

I can lodge a complaint with the head of the authority.

Explanation

Under Article 20(3) of the Basic Law, the administration in a constitutional state is bound by law; public officials owe duties of objectivity and proper conduct (e.g., section 34 BeamtStG, section 61 BBG). If treated improperly, Article 17 GG guarantees the right to address requests and complaints to the competent body, typically via a supervisory complaint (Dienstaufsichtsbeschwerde) to the head of the authority; petitions to parliamentary committees are also possible. This differs from legal remedies such as objection (Widerspruch) or judicial action, which contest decisions rather than conduct. Threats are impermissible and may constitute criminal offenses (e.g., sections 240 and 241 of the Criminal Code).

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.