Germany passes law to give descendants of Nazi victims citizenship

The German federal parliament on June 25 passed a legislation granting citizenship to some descendants of Nazi victims, who had been prevented from acquiring it. According to DW media outlet, the so-called “reparation citizenship” measure passed in the Bundestag lower house of parliament with support from all parties except the far-right Alternative for Germany. The new bill, which was brought into parliament in March, will now make it possible for a large number of descendants of Nazi victims to obtain the country’s citizenship. 

German lawmakers also updated citizenship law to bar the naturalisation of people convicted of a racist, anti-Semitic or xenophobic act. After the government passed the draft law, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that this is not just about putting things rights, but it is about apologising in a profound shame. Seehofer added that it is a “huge fortune” for Germany if people want to become the citizens of the nation, despite the fact the country took everything from their ancestors. 

According to DW, Germany has long allowed descendants of persecuted Jews to reclaim citizenship, however, the lack of a legal framework meant many applications were rejected before a rule change in 2019. While some were denied because their ancestors fled Germany, others took another nationality before their citizenship was officially revoked. Some were even rejected because they were born to a German mother and non-German father before April 1, 1953. 

However, now, under the new law, beneficiaries are on a firmer legal footing. A per reports, applications for the passport will now be free and beneficiaries may retain other citizenships. Those interested can now present proof that their ancestors were persecuted in Germany under Adolf Hitler between 1933 and 1945 or belonged to a persecuted group including Jews, Sinti and Roma, as well as political dissidents and the mentally ill.  

Descendants of Nazi victims allowed Austrian citizenship

Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that back in 2019, Austria also changed its citizenship law to allow the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who fled the Nazis to be naturalised. As a way to achieve reconciliation with victims of National Socialism and their descendants as well as to recognize Austria’s historical responsibility, the Austrian Parliament approved an amendment to the Austrian Citizenship Act in October 2019. Previously, only Holocaust survivors themselves had been able to obtain Austrian nationality. 

(Image: Twitter/AP)