Berlin - Questionnaires forming the basis of a citizenship test for immigrants seeking German nationality reflect cultural bias, a representative for the large Turkish minority said Tuesday.

Turkish Community Chairman Kenan Kolat said the 310 multiple-choice questions published by the Interior Ministry tested not only knowledge of Germany but "to some extent also attitudes."

In an interview with the Cologne-based daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger, he called instead for citizenship courses.

The ministry plans to compile questionnaires of 33 questions taken from the list of 310, with successful applicants having to answer at least 17 correctly.

Applicants would be able to prepare by studying all 310 questions, which include items such as: "In Germany people can speak out openly against the government, because - freedom of religion applies - people must pay taxes - people have the right to vote - freedom of opinion applies."

Other questions make clear reference to Germany's Christian heritage: "The last four weeks before Christmas are called - All Souls' Day - Harvest Festival - Advent - All Saints."

And yet others require a knowledge of social history that would stump many Germans: "In former East Germany, most immigrants came from - Vietnam, Poland, Mozambique - France, Romania, Somalia - Chile, Hungary, Zimbabwe - North Korea, Mexico, Egypt."

Kolat suggested putting the questions to Germans at information stands in Berlin. "It would be interesting to see how that goes off," he said.

The academics from Berlin's Humboldt University who compiled the questions tested them in schools, taking as their guinea pigs pupils of both German and immigrant origin. (Berlin - Questionnaires forming the basis of a citizenship test for immigrants seeking German nationality reflect cultural bias, a representative for the large Turkish minority said Tuesday.

Turkish Community Chairman Kenan Kolat said the 310 multiple-choice questions published by the Interior Ministry tested not only knowledge of Germany but "to some extent also attitudes."

In an interview with the Cologne-based daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger, he called instead for citizenship courses.

The ministry plans to compile questionnaires of 33 questions taken from the list of 310, with successful applicants having to answer at least 17 correctly.

Applicants would be able to prepare by studying all 310 questions, which include items such as: "In Germany people can speak out openly against the government, because - freedom of religion applies - people must pay taxes - people have the right to vote - freedom of opinion applies."

Other questions make clear reference to Germany's Christian heritage: "The last four weeks before Christmas are called - All Souls' Day - Harvest Festival - Advent - All Saints."

And yet others require a knowledge of social history that would stump many Germans: "In former East Germany, most immigrants came from - Vietnam, Poland, Mozambique - France, Romania, Somalia - Chile, Hungary, Zimbabwe - North Korea, Mexico, Egypt."

Kolat suggested putting the questions to Germans at information stands in Berlin. "It would be interesting to see how that goes off," he said.

The academics from Berlin's Humboldt University who compiled the questions tested them in schools, taking as their guinea pigs pupils of both German and immigrant origin. (dpa)