If your ancestors spoke German and never lived in the German Reich before WW II, you may still be eligible for citizenship.
When Nazi Germany invaded its neighbors, ethnic Germans in the occupied territories often became German nationals.
Not so their Jewish neighbors, who often spoke German as well. Instead, they were persecuted and murdered.
As this was a discrimination in terms of citizenship, the German state of today acknowledges this as grounds to give citizenship to the descendants.
Not sure about their status?
- If they lived in Germany but were stateless or Polish, read more here.
- If they had German citizenship, find out more here.
What’s the exact legal ground?
In 2021, Germany added a new section to its citizenship law, paragraph 15. This new §15 Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (citizenship law or in short, StAG) contains a number of regulations for descendants of people persecuted or discriminated against by the Nazis.