“Many countries” and “without passport control” need context.
Schengen concerns a particular shared area. Under its basic principle, crossing a national border within that area does not mean undergoing a routine identity check at every border. The states still remain separate countries with national borders.
The agreement is not worldwide permission to travel. Rights of entry, required documents and rules for staying in a country are separate questions. The benefit is also not restricted to German nationals: other eligible travellers can benefit as well.
The other three answers
Notice the overbroad words “all” and “any”, and the switch from travel to currency.
All people can enter Germany without identity checks.
Schengen does not allow everyone unconditional entry into Germany. External border checks and entry requirements exist, and certain checks are also possible within the area.
Germans can travel to any country without passport control.
“Any country” goes far beyond the Schengen area. The agreement does not remove passport checks worldwide.
Germans can pay with the Euro in any country.
The euro is a currency. Schengen concerns different matters; for example, Switzerland belongs to the Schengen area and uses the Swiss franc.
Fewer border checks do not mean an absence of all rules.
Countries can temporarily reintroduce internal border controls under the applicable conditions. The fixed exam answer should therefore be read as a general explanation, not as a guarantee for every particular journey today.
EU membership, participation in Schengen and use of the euro are three different classifications. Nationality, documents, destination and purpose of stay also matter for a particular journey. This study guide does not determine an individual’s entry requirements.
Schengen Agreement · Federal Foreign Office ↗Schengen: fewer internal border checks, not a worldwide or document-free travel guarantee.
Connect Schengen with checks on people at shared borders. Consider currency and entry requirements separately.
Three words for this question
- die Binnengrenzeinternal border
- A border between countries within a shared area.
- vorübergehendtemporary
- For a limited time, rather than permanently.
- das Reisedokumenttravel document
- A valid passport or accepted substitute required for travel.