Naturalization applications surge from Israelis with German roots

DPA
·1 min read
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A participant in the laying of the first stumbling block at Dresden's Old Leipzig Railway Station stands in front of a sign for the synagogue. The number of Israelis with German ancestors applying for naturalization has increased, the RND media group reported on 27 May, citing Germany's Federal Office of Administration. According to the report, 6,869 applications were received from January to April this year, compared to 9,129 in 2023 as a whole and 5,670 in 2022. Robert Michael/dpa

The number of Israelis with German ancestors applying for naturalization has increased, the RND media group reported on Monday, citing Germany's Federal Office of Administration.

According to the report, 6,869 applications were received from January to April this year, compared to 9,129 in 2023 as a whole and 5,670 in 2022.

Since August 2021, those persecuted by the Nazi regime due to their political, racial, or religious beliefs and their descendants are legally entitled to obtain a German passport.

Descendants of Nazi victims who fled abroad can also obtain German citizenship unconditionally.

Since the attack by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas on Israel on October 7, there has been a significant increase in applications if the trend of the first four months continues.

In total, almost 14,000 applications for naturalization were submitted in Germany in 2023, compared to almost 11,400 in 2022.

After Israel, the majority of applications come from the United States.