The German word “Wiedergutmachung” refers to Germany’s efforts to make amends for the injustices committed during World War II. In the context of citizenship, it refers to the restoration or restitution of German citizenship to people who were deprived of it as a result of Nazi persecution, as well as, in certain circumstances, their descendants.
Between 1933 and 1945, people living in Germany (or in territories annexed to Germnay) that were part of minorities targeted by the National Social Party lost their right to retain, pass or receive German citizenship.
Starting from 1949, the German government provides the possibility to people affected by this injustice to be restored German citizenship, as an attempt to compensate victims of persecution. This path is available also to their descendants, regardless of the number of generations involved.
Article 116(2) of Grundgesetz:
This article is part of the German base law (Grundgesetz, or GG), which came into force on May 24, 1949.
It provides that former German citizens deprived of citizenship during the Nazi period for political, racial, or religious reasons, and their descendants, are entitled upon application to have their citizenship restored.
In this sense, the provision is not simply an ordinary naturalisation procedure. It reflects the principle that citizenship which had been taken away as part of persecution should, where the legal requirements are met, be restored rather than treated as something that must be acquired anew.
Section 15 of the Nationality Act:
This newer act, entered into force on 20 August 2021 (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, or StAG), is designed to fill in the legislative gaps left by Article 116(2).
This new procedure applies to persons who voluntarily gave up, lost, never had, or were denied German citizenship between 30 January 1933 and 26 February 1955 due to persecution on political, racial or religious grounds.
Section 15 is particularly significant because persecution did not always take the form of a formal deprivation of citizenship: in some cases, persecution prevented a person from ever acquiring, retaining, or effectively exercising the citizenship they otherwise would have had.
Documents for the process:
In both scenarios, aside from acquiring legal documents confirming how the family lineage went down, you would also need to showcase proof of your family persecution, and citizenship status throughout the years.
The applicant will need to establish the relevant historical circumstances: the ancestor’s German citizenship or status, what happened to that citizenship, and the connection between the loss or denial of citizenship and Nazi persecution.
Historical documents can therefore be just as important as civil-status records. These might include citizenship records, passports, registration documents, naturalisation records, emigration records, administrative documents of that time period, or archival material documenting persecution. The exact evidence required depends on whether the application falls under Article 116(2) or Section 15 and on the individual family’s history.
Final thoughts:
In this case, Germany is not simply offering descendants a modern immigration route to German citizenship. In these provisions, citizenship is being used as a legal mechanism to acknowledge and, in a limited sense, repair a historical injustice.
If you are unsure on which path to choose, we advise you as always to seek assistance from a specialized company, or contact us via our form below.