Question 181 · Federal question
What did Willy Brandt want to express with his kneeling in 1970 at the former Jewish…
German original (as asked in the real test)
Was wollte Willy Brandt mit seinem Kniefall 1970 im ehemaligen jüdischen Ghetto in Warschau ausdrücken?
- A Er hat sich den ehemaligen Alliierten unterworfen.
- B Er bat Polen und die polnischen Juden um Vergebung. ✓ Correct answer
- C Er zeigte seine Demut vor dem Warschauer Pakt.
- D Er sprach ein Gebet am Grab des Unbekannten Soldaten.
Translation
What did Willy Brandt want to express with his kneeling in 1970 at the former Jewish ghetto in Warsaw?
- A He submitted to the former Allies.
- B He asked Poland and the Polish Jews for forgiveness. ✓ Correct answer
- C He showed his humility before the Warsaw Pact.
- D He said a prayer at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Explanation
Willy Brandt's kneeling gesture at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in 1970 was a powerful symbolic act of contrition and acknowledgment of German responsibility for the Holocaust and Nazi crimes against Poland and its Jewish population. This gesture became one of the most iconic moments of German postwar reconciliation and Ostpolitik.
Tips
- Remember that Brandt's kneeling was a symbolic gesture of apology and recognition of German guilt.
- The location (Warsaw Ghetto Memorial) is crucial - it connects to Holocaust remembrance and Polish suffering.
- This was part of Brandt's Ostpolitik (Eastern Policy) to improve relations with Eastern Europe.
- Eliminate options that suggest submission to allies, deference to the Warsaw Pact, or religious prayer - the gesture was about historical responsibility.
Practice in the app
