Question 10
Freedom of expression in Germany means that I...
German original: Meinungsfreiheit in Deutschland heißt, dass ich …. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- may insult passersby on the street.
- can express my opinion on the internet. — Correct answer
- may publicly display Nazi, Hamas, or Islamic State symbols.
- may only express my opinion as long as I do not contradict the government.
Explanation
Freedom of expression (Art. 5 of the Basic Law) means that everyone can freely express their opinion – including on the internet. You do not have to share the same opinion as others. However, insults or incitement to hatred against groups of people are not protected by this right.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- means / is called — 'Heißt' is the third person singular form of the German verb 'heißen'. It is used to state someone's or something's name, or to explain the meaning of something.
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- Freedom of expression — Freedom of expression is the right of every person to express their opinion freely without being punished for it. In Germany, this fundamental right is enshrined in the Basic Law.
- free — Without restrictions or compulsion; a person can decide for themselves what they do or say.
- opinion — An opinion is a personal view or attitude that someone has about a topic. It does not have to be based on facts and can differ from person to person.
- that — 'That' is a conjunction used to introduce a subordinate clause and connect it to the main clause. For example: I know that Germany is a democracy.
- German — German is the official language of Germany, Austria, and part of Switzerland. It is the native language of approximately 100 million people.