German Citizenship Restoration (Art. 116 II GG & Section 15 StAG)

Eligibility is divided into two primary legal categories based on how your ancestor lost their status.

1. Article 116 (2) of the Basic Law (Restoration)

This applies if your ancestor was formally deprived of their citizenship by the Nazi regime on political, racial, or religious grounds. This most commonly affected:

• German Jews living abroad who lost their citizenship automatically under the 11th Decree to the Reich Citizenship Act (November 25, 1941).
• Individuals whose names were specifically listed in the Reichsanzeiger (Reich Gazette) for individual deprivation.
• All descendants of these individuals, including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Following a landmark 2020 court ruling, this now includes descendants who were previously excluded due to past gender-discriminatory laws (e.g., children born to a German mother and a foreign father).

2. Section 15 of the Nationality Act (Restitution)

This is a "catch-all" provision for those who suffered citizenship losses that were not "formal deprivations" but were still caused by persecution. You qualify if your ancestor:

• Lost or surrendered German citizenship before they could be formally deprived (e.g., by acquiring a foreign citizenship to flee or through marriage to a foreigner).
• Was excluded from acquiring citizenship (e.g., denied naturalization in Germany or excluded from collective naturalizations in annexed territories) due to persecution.
• Descendants: All legal descendants of the individuals described above are eligible.

Disqualifiers

While the requirements are broad, you may be disqualified if:

• You have a serious criminal record. While minor offenses are generally not an issue, significant convictions can lead to a rejection.
• You are found to hold extremist views or pose a threat to the free democratic basic order of Germany.