Citizenship by Restitution (Section 15 StAG)

Who Qualifies

You are eligible for naturalization under Section 15 StAG if you or your ancestor meets one or more of these conditions, provided the circumstances occurred in connection with Nazi persecution on political, racial, or religious grounds between January 30, 1933, and May 8, 1945:

Renounced or Lost Citizenship Before February 26, 1955

You gave up or lost German citizenship before this date—through naturalization in another country, release on application, or marriage to a foreign national. This extends eligibility beyond May 8, 1945, to cover persons who fled Nazi persecution but only lost citizenship afterward through general legal provisions.

Excluded from Legal Acquisition

You were barred from acquiring German citizenship through marriage, legitimization, or collective naturalization of ethnic Germans due to your ethnic origin or other Nazi persecution grounds. This includes women who lost citizenship upon marriage to non-Germans and children who could not inherit citizenship due to discriminatory laws.

Denied Naturalization

You were not granted naturalization despite applying, or you were generally excluded from naturalization that would otherwise have been possible upon application. This covers cases where applicants were rejected based on Nazi racial or political classifications.

Lost Habitual Residence

You gave up or lost your ordinary place of residence in Germany if that residence was established before January 30, 1933, or, in the case of children, even after that date. This applies to those forced to flee persecution and covers both those who held German citizenship and those who never acquired it.

Descendants' Eligibility

Your descendants—children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and subsequent generations—are entitled to apply for naturalization under Section 15 StAG, even if you did not apply or were not eligible yourself. Each descendant has an individual claim. Descendants adopted before January 1, 1977, by an eligible person are also covered.

Critically, you need not have ever held German citizenship yourself. This distinguishes Section 15 from Article 116(2) GG. Under Section 15, descendants of persons who were excluded from acquiring citizenship due to Nazi persecution can apply, even if neither they nor their ancestors ever formally held German citizenship.

Who Does Not Qualify

Criminal Convictions

You are ineligible if you have been incontestably sentenced to a prison term or term of youth custody of at least two years for one or more intentionally committed offences, or if preventive detention was ordered in connection with the most recent incontestable conviction.

Reacquired and Lost Again

You are not entitled to naturalization if you had German citizenship after May 8, 1945, but renounced or lost it, or were born to or adopted by a person who renounced or lost German citizenship after that date. Exception: If you acquired German citizenship after May 8, 1945, and lost it before April 1, 1953, as a result of marriage to a foreigner or through legitimation by a foreigner, you remain eligible.

Anti-Constitutional Activity

You cannot be naturalized if you pursue or support anti-constitutional endeavors.

Generational Transmission Limit

If you are naturalized under Section 15 StAG and were born after January 1, 2000, you can only transfer your German citizenship to the next generation if you register your newborn child within a specified timeframe. If you were born before January 1, 2000, there is no such restriction.