The term "Wiedergutmachungseinbürgerung" translates to "reparatory naturalization" or "restorative naturalization" in English. It refers to the process of granting citizenship as an act of restitution or reparation for injustices, such as those suffered under Nazi persecution.
Special provisions for the restoration of German citizenship apply to victims of persecution by the Nazi regime who were stripped of their German nationality on political, racial, or religious grounds between January 30, 1933, and May 8, 1945. As part of reparations, these individuals and their descendants are entitled to naturalization under Article 116(2), sentence 1 of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz). Under Article 116 (2) of the German Basic Law (GG), German citizenship is considered to have been "withdrawn" for political, religious, or racial reasons in the following cases:
- Automatically lost under Section 2 of the 11th Decree to the Reich Citizenship Act of November 25, 1941, or
- Revoked on an individual basis under the Law on the Revocation of Naturalizations and the Deprivation of German Citizenship of July 14, 1933.
Such individuals and their descendants have had a constitutional right to naturalization since May 24, 1949.
Under §15 Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG), individuals who lost their German citizenship in other ways or were unable to acquire it due to Nazi persecution, as well as their descendants, can acquire German citizenship. This provision particularly benefits those who lost their German citizenship after fleeing, for example, by acquiring a foreign nationality or through marriage to a foreign national under general regulations. This right to naturalization has been in effect since August 20, 2021.
For more information on reparation naturalization and simplified naturalization for descendants of Nazi persecution victims, please visit the website of Bundesverwaltungsamt (BVA, English translation: Federal Office of Administration). These resources on the website provide detailed guidance on eligibility, application procedures, and required documentation. The application forms on the website must be filled out in German. We would be happy to assist you with this. The BVA also provides information on other scenarios on their website. If you have any questions or encounter difficulties in understanding, we are happy to help.