Germany conducts population census; US forces not required

The State Census Offices started sending questionnaires to all home owners and about 10 percent of the households in Germany.

Members of the U.S. forces are not required to participate in the census. Home owners who will or have received a questionnaire should mark question No. 2 on Page 1 with “no” and enter “Member of the U.S. forces” in the remarks section (Bemerkungen) on the last page.

The questionnaires should be returned in the provided envelopes, but none of the questions have to be answered. The reason the questionnaires should be returned is to let the German government know that this particular home owner does not fall under the census.

German nationals who do not respond are subject to a fine if they do not fill out the questionnaire, and returning the questionnaire with the remark “Member of the U.S. forces” will prevent the German government from trying to pursue the matter and initiating a fine.

(Courtesy of 86th Airlift Wing Host Nation Office)