German Citizenship based on Restoration
Were Your German Ancestors Stripped of Their Citizenship by the Nazis?
Two Legal Paths to Citizenship Restoration or Restitution
1. Restoration Under Article 116(2) GG
Article 116(2) GG provides a path to German citizenship for former German citizens who were deprived of their citizenship by the Nazi regime for political, racial, or religious reasons between January 30, 1933 and May 8, 1945, and for their descendants.
A critical part of these cases is establishing that the persecuted ancestor was still a German citizen when the Nazi deprivation occurred. German citizenship can often be established through archival records and other historical evidence. We also examine marriage, emigration, and naturalization records to determine whether citizenship had already been lost before the Nazi measure took effect.
This may apply if:
Your ancestor was a German citizen whose citizenship was individually revoked by the Nazi authorities for political, racial, or religious reasons
Your Jewish German citizen ancestor lived outside Germany and was deprived of German citizenship under the Eleventh Ordinance to the Reich Citizenship Law of November 25, 1941
Archival records or other historical evidence establish that your persecuted ancestor held German citizenship before the Nazi deprivation
Your ancestor had not already lost German citizenship before the relevant Nazi measure, for example through foreign naturalization
In the case of a German woman, she had not already lost German citizenship through marriage to a foreign national before the Nazi deprivation occurred
Descendants may have a right to restoration, but the sequence of events determines the applicable legal path. We therefore examine Article 116(2) GG and Section 15 StAG together. If the ancestor lost German citizenship before the Nazi deprivation—for example through foreign naturalization or marriage—Section 15 StAG may provide the path to German citizenship instead.
2. Restitution Under Section 15 of the German Nationality Act (StAG)
Section 15 StAG provides a path to German citizenship for victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants who do not qualify under Article 116(2) of the German Constitution.
The law applies to people who, because of Nazi persecution on political, racial, or religious grounds between January 30, 1933 and May 8, 1945, lost or gave up German citizenship, were prevented from acquiring German citizenship, were denied or excluded from naturalization, or were forced to leave Germany.
Descendants of these individuals may also have a right to German citizenship, even if their family has lived outside Germany for several generations.
This may apply if:
Your German citizen ancestor fled Nazi Germany and lost German citizenship after becoming a citizen of another country, or gave up German citizenship in connection with their flight from Nazi persecution
Your ancestor was born or lived in Germany but was denied German citizenship or naturalization because of Nazi racial, religious, or political persecution
Your ancestor was a German woman who fled persecution and lost German citizenship through marriage to a foreign national
Your ancestor had established their ordinary residence in Germany before January 30, 1933—or, as a child, after that date—and later gave up or lost that residence in connection with Nazi persecution, even if they were not a German citizen
Your family was excluded from German citizenship under Nazi-era laws or discriminatory measures
Who qualifies for German citizenship by restitution, and how can you find out if you are eligible? In this conversation, German-born U.S. journalist and radio host Maiken Scott interviews German attorney Christine Stenner, founder of STENNER LAW, about German citizenship by restoration and restitution.
In this interview, Attorney Christine Stenner explains who may qualify today, what legal pathways may be available, and the benefits of German citizenship, including the right to live and work in 27 European Union countries. It also touches on the value of this pathway in comparison to other citizenship or residency options, such as Golden Visas, which can involve substantial financial investment.
Nazi Laws That Stripped Citizenship
July 14, 1933 – Law on the Revocation of Naturalizations
This law allowed the Nazi government to revoke the naturalizations of those whose citizenship was deemed “undesirable,” specifically targeting Jews who had immigrated from Eastern Europe and political opponents. The law was implemented with explicit racist and antisemitic intent, as confirmed by the language in the implementing order, which referenced “völkisch-national (and racial) principles” and singled out “Eastern Jews” for denaturalization.
Legal Effect:
Once citizenship was revoked, individuals became stateless and lost all legal protections under German law, with no right of appeal.
September 15, 1935 – Reich Citizenship Law (Reichsbürgergesetz)
Part of the Nuremberg Laws, the Reich Citizenship Law redefined the concept of citizenship in Germany. It limited full citizenship (“Reich citizen”) to those of “German or kindred blood,” explicitly excluding Jews and others from political and civil rights. Jews were relegated to the status of “state subjects,” removing their rights as citizens.
Legal Effect:
Jews and other targeted groups lost the right to vote, hold public office, and enjoy other protections and privileges of citizenship.
November 25, 1941 – Eleventh Decree to the Reich Citizenship Law
This decree, issued during the Holocaust, stripped Jews living outside the Reich (i.e., those who had fled or been deported) of their German citizenship, and authorized the confiscation of their property.
Legal Effect:
The decree rendered these Jews stateless and facilitated the expropriation of their assets. Most Jews who lost citizenship under Nazi rule did so as a result of this decree.
Archival Research Support
Archival Research & Document Retrieval
As a full-service German citizenship law firm, we assist clients not only with the legal analysis and application, but also with the historical research and documentation needed to prove their case.
We conduct research in German archives, civil registries, registration records, citizenship records, and other historical sources to identify the documents necessary to establish German citizenship, family lineage, residence, persecution, emigration, naturalization, and other relevant facts.
Our research and document retrieval begins in Germany and extends to other countries when the family history requires it. In Poland, we locate and obtain civil and historical records and arrange for the necessary translations. In the United States, we assist with locating and obtaining naturalization and immigration records that may be essential to determine whether and when a German ancestor acquired U.S. citizenship.
When original records, certified copies, or documents requiring local retrieval are needed, we work with experienced genealogists and researchers in Germany, Poland, and the United States. These third-party professionals can obtain records on our clients’ behalf when necessary. Their services involve additional fees separate from our legal fees.
This allows us to coordinate the entire process, from determining the applicable citizenship pathway and researching the family history to identifying, obtaining, translating, and organizing the evidence required for the German citizenship application.
For individuals conducting their own family-history research, the following resources may also provide useful information:
Let Us Help You Reclaim What Was Taken
Restoring German citizenship is more than a legal act. It is a recognition of history, justice, and personal dignity. If your family was affected by Nazi persecution, you may have a legal right to reclaim this legacy.
At Stenner Law, we have supported Jewish families through the restoration process, and understand that pursuing citizenship restoration is not simply a matter of gathering documents or completing legal forms; it is an act of historical reflection, often involving difficult emotions and a profound connection to a family legacy shaped by loss, displacement, and survival.
We approach every case with care, legal precision, and deep respect for what this process means to you and your family.
Schedule a consultation with Stenner Law
To begin the process of restoring your family’s citizenship and reclaiming what was unjustly taken.
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