Question 28
You intentionally opened a letter in Germany that was addressed to another person. What did you not take into account?
German original: Sie haben in Deutschland absichtlich einen Brief geöffnet, der an eine andere Person adressiert ist. Was haben Sie nicht beachtet?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- the right to remain silent
- the secrecy of letters — Correct answer
- the duty of confidentiality
- the freedom of expression
Explanation
The secrecy of correspondence (Art. 10 of the Basic Law) protects postal communication. Opening someone else's letter is a criminal offence (Section 202 of the Criminal Code: violation of the secrecy of correspondence). This also applies to emails and other messages.
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.
- to have — 'Haben' means to possess something or to have something available. It is also used as an auxiliary verb to form past tenses in German.
- 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.
- Person — A human being considered as an individual with their own identity, rights, and responsibilities.
- other/others — This word refers to people or things that are different from or in addition to those already mentioned. It is used to indicate an alternative or a distinction.
- intentionally / deliberately — Doing something intentionally means doing it on purpose and consciously, not by accident or carelessness.
- addressed — Addressed means that something is directed at a specific person, group, or problem. For example, a letter addressed to someone or an issue that is being dealt with directly.
- observed / respected / taken into account — 'Beachtet' means that something or someone is noticed, considered, or respected. When a rule is observed, one acts in accordance with it.