Please click the tabs for further details about Pass Auf. Check out “Game Preparation Tips” for downloadable study lists, proverbs and to a video link of a sample Pass Auf! round.
[/et_pb_toggle]Abridged rules
Pass auf! Rules (click Link)
1. Varsity teams and Novice teams compete in separate tournaments.
2. A Varsity team consists of up to 7 students who are in any level of German, with the exception of
Advantaged Speakers and exchange students from German-speaking countries. A school may enter 1
Varsity team.
3. A Novice team consists of up to 7 German I and German II students who have never played in a regional
or State Pass auf! competition (no Advantaged Speakers or exchange students from German-speaking
countries). A school may enter 1 Novice team. Novice teams do not advance to State (except in rare
instances in which the State director may invite one or more Novice teams to fill up the State Varsity
bracket of 16 teams). High schools may enter a Novice team only if they are also entering a Varsity
team. Middle schools may enter a Novice team, a Varsity team, or one of each (but with no duplication of
players between the 2 teams).
4. No more than 5 students per team may play at a time. A team may begin playing with fewer than 5
players and players may be added after the game begins, if the team notifies the moderator before the
game begins that certain players, who must be identified by name, will be coming late (but the number of
players starting the game plus the number of players designated as potential late-comers may not exceed
5 players). Once a team starts playing, players may leave to go to other contests, but they may not be
replaced. (If by coincidence a player leaves and another player arrives who was previously designated as
someone who might arrive late, the arriving player can be admitted; they are not considered a
“replacement” of the player who left.). Alternates will be considered as spectators and may not observe
unless the game is open for spectators (see next rule).
5. Spectators may be allowed during the “semifinal” game (for 3rd/4th place) and the final game (for 1st/2nd
place) but at no other games. They may not communicate in any way with the teams that are playing.
6. There will be no changes to times of Pass auf! games in a contest. If a team is more than 5 minutes
late to a scheduled game, it may be eliminated.
7. Each team must designate a captain. This is the only person from whom an answer may be accepted,
unless for a particular question the captain designates one of the other team members to give the answer.
This must be done verbally and it must be acknowledged by the moderator before the answer may be
accepted. If someone other than the captain or an acknowledged designee gives an answer, the answer
will not be acknowledged by the moderator. In this instance, the appropriate person on the team must begin
to give the answer before the allotted time expires.
8. Each game consists of 25 questions, 5 questions each from the following categories: History & Politics,
Arts & Letters, Odds & Ends, Erdkunde, and Current Events & Special Topic. For each category, there will
be 1 question each valued at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 points, based upon difficulty. The categories may
include but are not limited to the following types of information:
History & Politics: early German history (beginnings through the Folk Migrations), the Middle Ages, the
Reformation, the 17th and 18th centuries, the 19th century, the post-WWII period, German-American
history, Texas-German history, government, the European Union, political parties, etc.
Arts & Letters: literature, fairy tales and folk tales, drama and cinema, philosophy and theology, music
and composers, art, architecture, scientists, inventors, etc.
Odds & Ends: proverbs, holidays, food, games, sports, education, folk festivals, customs and traditions,
travel vocabulary, communication, idioms, language functions, vocabulary, days/months/seasons, etc.
Erdkunde: geography; questions will be asked in German and must be answered in German.
Current Events & Special Topic: “Current Events” covers events from the prior calendar year through
the date of contest. Each year a special topic is announced. Make sure to check the special topic for
each year!!
9. The questions will be read by the moderator in order as printed. The category and point value for each
question will be stated before the question is read.
10. After the question is read for the first time, the teams have up to 30 seconds in which to signal. They may
confer during this time. If there is no signal within the 30-second period, the question is passed. To expedite
the game, teams may elect to pass a question before the 30-second period expires.
11. If a team signals while a question is being read, the moderator will stop reading immediately and may not
complete the question or give any additional information or answer any questions.
12. After signaling, the team has 30 seconds to begin giving an answer. It may confer during this time, but once
the team starts giving an answer, it may not pause in order to gain more time. The first attempt by a team
will be considered the answer- a team may not start over once it has begun to answer a question. In any
case, the determination of whether to accept an answer lies with the moderator and not with the players,
assistants, or spectators.
13. If the signaling team gives an incorrect answer or fails to answer the question in the time given, the
moderator will repeat the question for the other team. The other team has 30 seconds to decide whether
they want to try giving an answer or to pass. After deciding to attempt the question, the team has 30
seconds to begin giving an answer.
14. If a team gives a correct answer, it will receive the designated points, but no points will be deducted for
failing to give a correct answer. For multi-part questions, there is no “partial credit” for partially-correct
answers.
15. Appropriate behavior is expected of all players and spectators. No interruptions will be tolerated while a
team is attempting to answer a question. Clarification of rules may be addressed to the moderator between
questions, before the game, or after the game, but never while a question is in play.
16. Any challenge to a question or ruling by the moderator must be made immediately following the question
or decision that is being challenged or before the game is declared finished. The judgment of the moderator
is final.
17. Should the moderator misread a question, give the answer before the other team has a chance to answer,
etc., a replacement question from the same category and the same point value will be read.
18. If the score is tied after the 25 questions are completed, the moderator will select a tiebreaker from the
alternate set of questions. If neither team answers it correctly, the moderator will continue selecting
tiebreakers from the alternate set until a team answers one correctly. However, no points are added to the
team’s final score for a successfully-answered tiebreaker (because points earned per game may be used
later when ranking the lower places, and adding points for a tiebreaker question would skew the
comparison).
Rev. 2
Novice Sample Game
Arts and Letters for 10
Name the German scientist who is considered the father of the American space program?
ANS: Werner von Braun
History and Politics for 10
Name the last major German offensive of WWII in the West.
ANS: Battle of the Bulge
Odds and Ends for 10
As of January 1, 2002, what is the basic monetary unit in Germany?
ANS: Euro
Erdkunde für 10, Auf Deutsch.!
Wie heisst die Hauptstadt von Deutschland?
ANS: Berlin
Odds and Ends for 20
Give the German equivalent of We believe what we wish to believe.
ANS: Was man wünscht, glaubt man gern.
Arts and Letters for 20
Which king of Bavaria was the royal patron of Richard Wagner?
ANS: Ludwig II
Grammar for 20
Give the plural form of the following noun. Mann
ANS: Männer
Erdkunde für 20, Auf Deutsch!
In welchem Bundesland fliesst die Mosel?
ANS: Rheinland-Pfalz
History and Politics for 20
Name the Prussian king who preferred French to German and often calmed his nerves before battle by playing the flute?
ANS: Friedrich der Grosse (Frederick the Great)
History and Politics for 30
Two part question. Who is the current Chancellor of Germany and to which political party does he belong?
ANS: (Gerhard) Schrörder SPD
Odds and Ends for 30
What is the German name for the famous boy’s choir from Vienna?
ANS: Wiener Sängerknaben
Arts and Letters for 30
What was the name of the group of artists who gathered in munich before WWI and included the famous Russian-born artist Wassily Kandinsky?
ANS: Der Blaue Reiter
Erdkunde für 30, Auf Deutsch!
Wie heisst die Landeshauptstadt von Niederösterreich?
ANS: Sankt Pölten
Odds and Ends for 40
Give the German equivalent of A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
ANS: Ein Sperling in der Hand ist besser als eine Taube auf dem Dache.
Erdkunde für 40, Auf Deutsch!
Zweiteilig! Wie heisst Deutschlands höchster Berg und in welchem Bundesland steht er?
ANS: Zugspitze Bayern
Arts and Letters for 40
During the 15th century, guilds were formed to cultivate poetry and music. What were the members of these guilds called?
ANS: Meistersinger (Meistersänger)
History and Politics for 40
Name the missionary who attempted to Christianize the Germanic tribes. He established the bishoprics of Salzburg, Regensburg, Passau, and Erfurt.
ANS: St. Boniface
Arts and Letters for 50
Multi-part question. What period of German Literature followed the Aufklärung and was characterized by a love of sentimentality, nature and liberty? And who were its two most famous authors?
ANS: Sturm und Drang Goether and Schiller
History and Politics for 50
Multi-part.
For the first time since 1933, a freely elected all-German parliament met in what year, in what building, in which German city?
ANS: 1990; Reichstag; Berlin
Erdkunde für 50, Auf Deutsch!
Welche Insel Gruppe liegt an der Nordsee Küste von Schleswig-Holstein?
ANS: Nordfriesische Inseln
Odds and Ends for 50
In Germany and Austria most prices include a value-added tax. What is the German term for this tax?
ANS: Mehrwertsteuer
Back to Pass Auf site
Varsity Sample Game
Varsity Pass Auf Game
Arts and Letter for 30
Which group of Expressionist painters gathered in Dresden in 1905? Emil Nolde and Max Beckmann are well known members of this group.
ANS: Die Brücke
History and Politics for 40
After the death of Charles VI, Austria was attacked by Prussia, Bavaria and France. During this war which lasted from 1740-1748 Prussia seized and held Silesia. Name this war.
ANS: War of Austrian Succession
Arts and Letters for 40
Which German archeologist discovered and excavated the ancient city of Troy?
ANS: Heinrich Schliemann
History and Politics for 30
The first all-German elections to the German Bundestag were held on what date?
ANS: Dec. 2, 1990
Erdkunde für 40 Auf Deutsch
Welcher Wald liegt zwischen der Tschechische Republik und Deutschland?
ANS: Böhmerwald
History and Politics for 10
Who became the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 962?
ANS: Otto I
Odds and Ends
Give the German equivalent of – Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
ANS: Aus nichts, wird nichts.
Erdkunde für 20 Auf Deutsch
Welcher Fluß ist die Grenze zwischen Liechtenstein und der Schweiz?
ANS: (der) Rhein
Odd and Ends for 40
Give the German name for the warm, dry winter winds that come over the northern Alps from the Mediterranean and are blamed for everything from an increase in accidents to an increase in headaches?
ANS: Föhn(wind)
Odds and Ends for 30
Give the German name for the famous boy’s vocal group from Vienna?
ANS: Wiener Sängerknaben
History and Politics for 50
What agreement issued in 1122 ended the investiture dispute between Henry III and the pope over the selection of bishops?
ANS: Concordat of Worms
Arts and Letters for 50
Give the composers for each of the following pieces: Academic Festival Overture, Träumerei, and Der Rosenkavalier.
ANS: Academic Festival Overture – Johannes Brahms
Träumerei – Robert Schumann
Der Rosenkavalier – Richard Strauss
Erdkunde für 50 Auf Deutsch
Wie heissen die fünf neuen Länder DEutschlands?
ANS: Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen
Odds and Ends for 50
Two part question. Name the oldest zoo in the German-speaking world and the city in which it is found?
ANS: Schönbrunn Zoo Vienna (Wien)
Erdkunde für 10 Auf Deutsch
Wie heist die älteste Stadt Deutschlands?
ANS: Trier
Odds and Ends for 10
What is a Stau?
ANS: traffic jam
Arts and Letters for 10
Which German author, living from 1749-1832, is considered the greatest figure in German literature?
ANS: (Johann Wolfgang von) Goethe
Arts and Letters for 20
Which German wrote the words for the hymn Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott?
ANS: Martin Luther
Erdkunde für 30 Auf Deutsch
Wie heist der größte See Bayerns?
ANS: Chiemsee
History and Politics for 20
Which German Texas settlement was founded on Good Friday, 1845?
ANS: New Braunfels
Pass Auf! Wortschatz
Pass Auf! Wortschatz
| alt | Gebirgszügen | ökonomisch- |
| älteste | Gegend, die | Olypiade, die |
| anbauen | gehören | OPEC |
| anfangen | Gemeinschaft, die | ost |
| Armee | Grenze, die | österreichisch |
| Bahn, die | groß, größte | östlich, östlichst- |
| bauen, eine Grenze | Großlandschaft, die | Passionsspiel, das |
| begrenzen | Haupt- | Punkt, der |
| benutzen | Hauptlandschaft, die | Quelle, die |
| Berg, der | Hauptstadt, die | recht- |
| Bergspitze, die | Heide, die | Religionsgehörigkeit, die |
| Bergwiese, die | Heimatstadt, die | Residenz, die |
| berühmt-, berühmtest- | Herz, das | römisch |
| besichtigen | hoch, höchst- | Ruine, die |
| besiedelt- | Hochebene, die | Sandstein, der |
| Blüte, die | Hügel, der | Schffahrt, die |
| Bodenschatz, der | IAEA | Schloss, das |
| Buchdruckzentrum, das | im Jahre.. | Schwebebahn, die |
| Buchstabe, die | in der Nähe von… | Schweizer |
| Bundes- | Industriestadt, die | See, der |
| Bundesland, das | Inlandhafen, der | See, die |
| Burg, die | Insel, die | Seehafen, der |
| Denkmahl | Kanal, der | Sitz, der |
| deutsch | Kanton, der | Sprache, die |
| deutschsprachig- | Kolonie | Stadt, die |
| direkt | Kirche, die | stattfinden |
| Dom, der | kleinst- | stehen |
| dünnst- | Kloster, der | Stift |
| dünnstbevölkert- | Kontinent, das | Straße, die |
| durch | Küste, die | Strom, der |
| Ebene, die | Lager, das | süd |
| ehemalig- | Land, das | südlich, südlichst |
| Einwohner, der | Landeshauptstadt, die | Symbol, das |
| Einwohnerzahl | Landschaft, die | täglich |
| Eisenerz, das | lang, längst- | Tal, das |
| elektrisch- | lateinisch- | Teil, das |
| entlang gehen | liegen | tropisch- |
| erzeugen | link- | Ufer, die |
| Europa | Meer, das | umfassen |
| europäisch- | meist- | Union |
| favorit- | Messestadt, die | verbinden |
| Fels, der | mittelalterlich- | Vernügungspark, der |
| Fest, das | mittler- | Vielfalt, die |
| finden | möglich | Viertel, das |
| flach | münden sich | Volksfest, das |
| fließen | Mündung, die | Wald, der |
| Flughafen, der | Museum, das | Wappen |
| Flugverkehr, der | Name, der | Wasserkraft, der |
| Fluß, der | Nationalzeichen, das | Wasserweg, der |
| Flußhafen, der | Naturschutzgebiet, das | Wein, der |
| früher | neben | west |
| für etwas bekannt sein | nennen | westlich, westlichst- |
| Gebiet, das | neu | wichtig, wichtigst- |
| Gebirge, Das | nord | Zeitzone, die |
| nördlich, nördlichst- | Zentrum, das | |
| Nummer, die | zuzammengenommen | |
| offiziell- | zwischen | |
Categories & Annual Theme
In addition to the 4 Categories, there will be a special theme designated each year. One 50 point question each round will relate to this theme.
The theme for 2025 is: Die Wende.
The theme for 2024 was: UNESCO World Heritage topics in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (sites, food, clothing, instruments, etc.)
The theme for 2023 was: Scientists from D-A-CH-L Länder-Space, Medicine, Math
The theme for 2022 was: Bach, Beethoven & Brahms
The theme for 2020 was: German-Texans
The theme for 2019 was: German-Americans
The theme for 2018 was: The German-speaking World 1914-1945
The theme for 2017 was: The Reformation
There are five categories of questions:
History & Politics, Arts & Letters, Odds & Ends, and Erdkunde, and Current Events & Special Topic.
All categories may include questions about any of the German-speaking countries:
The Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein; and about German-Americans or German-Texans.
Questions in all categories may have words in German and may require answers in German.
Questions in the broad categories of History & Politics, Arts & Letters and Odds & Ends, will be grouped in subcategories within each round. Subcategories will include but not be limited to the following:
History and Politics: Early German History (Beginnings through the Folk Migrations), Middle Ages, Reformation through 1700, 1700 to 1848, 1850 to 1945, Post War Period, German American History, Texas German History, Government, European Union, Political Parties, Current Events, etc.
Arts & Letters: Literature, Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, Drama & Cinema, Philosophy & Theology, Music/Composers, Art, Architecture, Scientists, Inventors.
Odds & Ends: Holidays, food, games, sports, education, folk festivals, customs & traditions, travel vocabulary, communication, idioms, language functions, abbreviations, days, months & seasons, etc.
Erdkunde (geography) questions are in German and must be answered in German.
Controversies and Disputes
Any challenge to a question or ruling by the moderator must be made immediately following the question or decision that is being challenged or before the game is declared finished. The judgement of the moderator is final.
General settlement: Throw out the controversial question and ask a new question.
All documents from the Internet must be printed directly from the the Internet showing the source. Any printed source must be in the room with the players, who may not leave the room.
A maximum of three protests per round per team may be allowed. To avoid any unpleasant controversy there will be a referee, who is an impartial party, such as a professor. The referee will have the last word in disputes.
The Pass Auf Coordinator may have a recording device ready for moderators to use to record each round. This should alleviate disputes concerning pronunciation, as well as content of questions and answers. Before recording, the moderator will say to the teams: “This round is being recorded for your protection. This recording will be used to settle all disputes.”
Game Preparation Tips
Links to Study Guides. Note: All items on the study guides are fair game for Varsity Teams; however, items in italics are for Novice teams to focus on.
Category Study Guide
Proverbs Study List
Tips for preparing a Team
- Download the questions posted on the State German Contest web-site and review them for format and the types of questions asked in the different categories.
- Assign students or teams of students to research areas in which they are interested. They should research those and make up questions. Be sure that all areas are covered.
- Questions should be short answer where a phrase or name are sufficient to answer.
- There are no true/ false or multiple choice questions in the game.
- Some questions can be flipped so that the stem clue can be an answer and the answer can be a new stem clue.
- The teacher should review the questions and be sure that they are appropriate.
- At the state contest there are visuals of famous people, famous art works, buildings, landmarks, coats of arms of states, country flags, maps, etc. Students should become familiar with them.
- Questions should be entered into a word document so they can be used for study and practice. It is a good idea to have two versions – one by category and one random version.
- Some test bank software may give you the flexibility to generate different “tests” question sets.
- Assign students to study at least two categories. Be sure that you have at least two students to a category so that during a competition, if one is missing due to a scheduling conflict, the content will be covered.
- Two important keys in preparing a team are knowing the content and being fast on the buzzers.
- Content comes from study, but speed comes from practice. One way to drill both is to have the team sit as they would in contest and ask them questions from the question bank that you have developed. Rapid fire question rounds really help teams develop speed. Mark those questions that they miss and ask them again after you run through the question sets. Keep going until they master the questions.
- Run set up question sets as described above and run through practice games.
If you have more students that want to play and you need to determine which five should be your starting line-up, you can do tryouts two stage tryouts. Stage 1 would be a written test using randomly selected questions. Rank the students by their scores. Stage two would be to ask questions and have students signal in. At the end of the set of questions, rank students by their scores. This method addresses the two key factors in the game – knowledge and speed of response.
Suggested Sources
State adopted textbooks:
Komm mit!, Deutsch Aktuell,
World History
American History
Texas History
Biology textbooks – famous scientists
Chemistry textbooks – famous scientists
Physics textbooks – famous scientists
Other print resources:
Michelin Green Guide Germany
Michelin Green Guide Austria
Michelin Green Guide Switzerland
German Seed in Texas Soil by Terry Jordan ISBN 0-292-72707-0
The History of the German Settlements in Texas 1831-1861 by Eudolph Leopold Biesele
ISBN 1-57168-236-8
Erstes Buch – Harry Reinert – available from Amazon
German, Second and Third Years – ISBN: 978-0-87720-577-7 Amsco Publishing
German newspapers and magazines for current events.
Internet Sources
Check these web sites for information to be used in playing Pass Auf:
News services for current events
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.germany.travel/en/index.html
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/germany.htm
http://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/DE/Startseite/startseite_node.html
http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/02__GIC/GIC/00/__Home.html
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/austria.htm
http://www.austria.info/us
http://www.austria.org/going/facts-a-figures
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
http://www.switzerland.com/en.cfm/home
http://www.about.ch/
http://www.swissworld.org/en/?gclid=CIDj38bi6rICFZGPPAodxSkA1Q
http://www.liechtenstein.li/index.php?L=1
http://www.tourismus.li/en/
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/
http://hermannmonument.com/German_Americans.html
http://www.germanheritage.com/biographies/1alphabetical.html
http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/culture/german/german-texans