Germany Security Guard Test (§ 34a Sachkunde) 2026: Practice test 2

Practice test 2 of 4 for the Germany Security Guard Test (§ 34a Sachkunde): 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Security guard
Germany
100 questions
Checked October 11, 2026

Question 1 of 25
Which of these is personal data?
- The weather forecast for the site
- A video recording that shows a visitor's face
- The opening hours of the building
- The number of floors in the building
Show answer
Answer: B. A video recording that shows a visitor's face
A recording in which a person can be recognised relates to an identifiable person, so data protection law applies.
Question 2 of 25
A client uses video cameras in an area open to the public. What must be made clear to people?
- The guard's home address
- That cameras are in use, and who is responsible for them
- Nothing; cameras may be hidden
- The price of the camera system
Show answer
Answer: B. That cameras are in use, and who is responsible for them
§ 4 BDSG requires that the surveillance and the name and contact details of the responsible party be made recognisable as early as possible, for example with signs.
Question 3 of 25
When must video recordings be deleted?
- Only when the camera breaks
- Without delay, once they are no longer needed
- Never
- After ten years
Show answer
Answer: B. Without delay, once they are no longer needed
§ 4(5) BDSG requires deletion without delay when the data is no longer needed or when the interests of the people filmed outweigh keeping it.
Question 4 of 25
Which data protection principle means collecting only the data you really need?
- Data minimisation
- Data sharing
- Data maximisation
- Open data
Show answer
Answer: A. Data minimisation
Article 5 GDPR says personal data must be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purpose.
Question 5 of 25
A visitor list was collected for access control. Can the client use it to send advertising?
- Yes, any use is allowed once data is collected
- Yes, if the guard agrees
- Yes, but only on weekends
- No, the data may only be used for the purpose it was collected for
Show answer
Answer: D. No, the data may only be used for the purpose it was collected for
Under purpose limitation in Article 5 GDPR, data collected for one purpose may not simply be reused for an unrelated purpose.
Question 6 of 25
Within what time must a company normally report a personal data breach to the supervisory authority?
- Within 72 hours of becoming aware of it
- Only if journalists ask
- Within 30 days
- Within 7 days
Show answer
Answer: A. Within 72 hours of becoming aware of it
Article 33 GDPR requires notification without undue delay and, where possible, within 72 hours.
Question 7 of 25
A person asks what data your company stores about them. What right are they using?
- The right to a hearing
- The right of assembly
- The right of access
- The right of petition
Show answer
Answer: C. The right of access
Article 15 GDPR gives people the right to find out whether and which personal data about them is processed.
Question 8 of 25
Which authority supervises data protection at private companies, such as security firms?
- The data protection authority of the federal state
- The federal tax office
- The local fire brigade
- The IHK exam committee
Show answer
Answer: A. The data protection authority of the federal state
§ 40 BDSG makes the state data protection authorities responsible for supervising private bodies.
Question 9 of 25
A friend asks you which people visited your client's office today. What do you do?
- Keep the information confidential
- Tell them only the famous names
- Tell them, since they are a friend
- Post the list online
Show answer
Answer: A. Keep the information confidential
Personal data must be protected against unauthorised disclosure. Information from your post stays confidential.
Question 10 of 25
What is the difference between owning a thing and possessing it?
- There is no difference
- The possessor always has more rights than the owner
- The owner has the legal right to it; the possessor has actual control over it
- Only companies can be owners
Show answer
Answer: C. The owner has the legal right to it; the possessor has actual control over it
Under § 854 BGB, possession is actual control over a thing. Ownership is the full legal right, which may belong to someone else.
Question 11 of 25
A guard controls a client's building on the client's instructions. What is the guard's legal position under the Civil Code?
- The tenant of the building
- The owner of the building
- A possession servant (Besitzdiener) acting for the client
- A public official
Show answer
Answer: C. A possession servant (Besitzdiener) acting for the client
Under § 855 BGB, someone who exercises control for another person on their instructions is a possession servant. § 860 lets them use the possessor's self-help rights.
Question 12 of 25
What may a possessor do against prohibited interference (verbotene Eigenmacht) under § 859 BGB?
- Take the offender's car
- Lock the offender in a room for a day
- Defend against it with force that is necessary
- Nothing; only the police may act
Show answer
Answer: C. Defend against it with force that is necessary
§ 859(1) BGB allows the possessor to defend against prohibited interference with force. The force must still be necessary.
Question 13 of 25
Someone grabs goods from a market stall and runs. The stall keeper chases and catches them right away. What does § 859 BGB allow?
- Nothing, because the person already left
- Taking the goods back from the person caught in the act or chased immediately
- Searching the person's home later
- Taking the person's wallet as compensation
Show answer
Answer: B. Taking the goods back from the person caught in the act or chased immediately
§ 859(2) BGB allows a possessor to take a stolen movable thing back by force from an offender caught in the act or pursued immediately.
Question 14 of 25
An act is necessary to defend against a present unlawful attack. What does § 227 BGB say about it?
- It is always a crime
- It must be paid for in full
- It is only allowed for police officers
- It is not unlawful
Show answer
Answer: D. It is not unlawful
§ 227 BGB is the civil-law self-defence rule. An act required for self-defence is not unlawful, so no damages are owed for it.
Question 15 of 25
A loose dog attacks a guard, and the guard injures the dog to stop it. Which rule can justify this?
- Self-help to secure a claim (§ 229 BGB)
- Temporary arrest (§ 127 StPO)
- Self-defence against a person (§ 32 StGB)
- Defensive necessity (§ 228 BGB)
Show answer
Answer: D. Defensive necessity (§ 228 BGB)
§ 228 BGB allows damaging a thing (animals are treated like things here) that causes the danger, if it is necessary and the harm is not out of proportion.
Question 16 of 25
To stop a fire spreading, a guard uses a neighbour's garden hose without asking. Which rule covers this, and what follows?
- Theft (§ 242 StGB); the guard must pay a fine
- Trespass (§ 123 StGB); the guard must be arrested
- Self-defence (§ 32 StGB); no compensation is ever owed
- Aggressive necessity (§ 904 BGB); the owner can claim compensation
Show answer
Answer: D. Aggressive necessity (§ 904 BGB); the owner can claim compensation
§ 904 BGB lets you use someone else's property to avert much greater danger. The owner cannot forbid it but may demand compensation for any damage.
Question 17 of 25
When does § 229 BGB allow self-help to secure your own claim?
- Whenever someone owes you money
- When official help cannot be obtained in time and the claim would otherwise be lost or much harder to enforce
- Only after a court judgment
- Whenever the police are busy with paperwork
Show answer
Answer: B. When official help cannot be obtained in time and the claim would otherwise be lost or much harder to enforce
§ 229 BGB allows self-help, such as holding a debtor who is about to flee, only when authorities cannot help in time.
Question 18 of 25
What limit does § 230 BGB place on self-help?
- It may be used to collect old debts
- It may last up to one week
- It may not go further than needed to avert the danger
- It may include punishment
Show answer
Answer: C. It may not go further than needed to avert the danger
§ 230 BGB says self-help must not go beyond what is necessary. Seized goods or detained persons must be brought to the authorities without delay.
Question 19 of 25
Under § 823 BGB, when must someone pay damages?
- When they unlawfully and intentionally or negligently harm another person's life, body, health, freedom or property
- Only when a contract says so
- Only when the damage is over 1,000 euros
- Only when the police write a report
Show answer
Answer: A. When they unlawfully and intentionally or negligently harm another person's life, body, health, freedom or property
§ 823 BGB sets the basic rule for liability in tort: unlawful, culpable harm to protected rights must be compensated.
Question 20 of 25
A guard negligently damages a visitor's car while on duty. Who can also be liable under § 831 BGB?
- The local police
- The car's manufacturer
- The IHK
- The security company that employs the guard
Show answer
Answer: D. The security company that employs the guard
§ 831 BGB makes an employer liable for damage caused by staff doing their work, unless it chose and supervised them with due care.
Question 21 of 25
A guard finds a wallet in the client's lobby. What should the guard do?
- Report it and hand it in, following the site's lost-property rules
- Take out the cash and throw away the wallet
- Keep it if no one asks within a day
- Leave it on the floor
Show answer
Answer: A. Report it and hand it in, following the site's lost-property rules
Under § 965 BGB, a finder must notify the owner or the authority. On duty, follow the post orders for lost property and record the find.
Question 22 of 25
Under § 32 StGB, against what kind of attack is self-defence (Notwehr) allowed?
- A lawful arrest by the police
- An insult posted online last week
- A present and unlawful attack
- A past attack that ended yesterday
Show answer
Answer: C. A present and unlawful attack
§ 32 StGB defines self-defence as the defence needed to ward off a present, unlawful attack on yourself or another person.
Question 23 of 25
A guard sees a man attacking a woman in the car park. May the guard defend her?
- Only if the woman is the client
- Yes, defending another person is covered by self-defence
- Only after the police give permission
- No, self-defence only covers your own body
Show answer
Answer: B. Yes, defending another person is covered by self-defence
§ 32 StGB covers defending 'oneself or another'. This is often called defence of others (Nothilfe).
Question 24 of 25
What does 'necessary' (erforderlich) defence mean in self-defence law?
- Any force the defender chooses
- The strongest force available
- The mildest of the equally effective means available
- Waiting until the attacker hits first twice
Show answer
Answer: C. The mildest of the equally effective means available
Defence must be suitable to stop the attack, and of several equally effective options, the least harmful must be chosen.
Question 25 of 25
An attacker stops, turns and runs away empty-handed. The guard chases and punches him. Is this self-defence?
- Yes, because the attacker started it
- Yes, self-defence lasts all day
- No, the attack is no longer present
- Yes, if the client agrees
Show answer
Answer: C. No, the attack is no longer present
Self-defence only applies while an attack is present. Hitting someone after the attack has ended is not covered and may be bodily harm.

Related tests