Catalogue question 300 · Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01

From which country did the first guest workers come to the Federal Republic of Germany?

Why — for every option

1. A — Correct: the Federal Republic's first recruitment agreement was concluded in 1955 with Italy; Italian guest workers were thus the first of their kind.
2. B — The recruitment agreement with Spain only followed in 1960, after the one with Italy.
3. C — The recruitment agreement with Portugal followed in 1964, well after Italy.
4. D — The recruitment agreement with Turkey was only concluded in 1961 — later than the one with Italy, even though people of Turkish origin became the largest group in the long run (see question 297).

Source: www.bpb.de