GERMANY - German Passport for Holocaust Survivors
In the tumultuous era of World War II, the horrifying grip of the Nazi regime led to the tragic loss of millions of Jewish lives. The atrocities did not occur on German soil alone; many Jews were murdered in Austria and elsewhere in Europe, of course. Today, the German and Austrian governments both enable the descendants of holocaust survivors or victims who were citizens or residents of the country to obtain citizenship by heritage.
In 2021 several substantial amendments were made to the German Citizenship Law. These amendments immensely broadened the circle of eligibility.
The new clause 15 of the Citizenship Law stipulates that the descendants of former residents of Germany, who lived in the country before January 30th, 1933, and subsequently departed after this particular date, meet the requirements for acquiring German citizenship.
In September 2019, Austria amended its citizenship law as well. The new amendment states that those eligible for citizenship are the descendants of holocaust survivors who escaped Austria between 1933 and 1955. Those survivors had to have a center of life in Austria and be Austrian citizens or citizens of one of the Austro-Hungarian Empire countries.
It is important to note that the law now allows one to gain citizenship through the mother’s side as well, and not only through the father’s side. Furthermore, those who served in the standing army are eligible as well. However, those holding Austrian citizenship who choose to serve in the standing army will have to give up on their Austrian citizenship, with no option to retrieve it.
The best way to get the relevant documentation is by performing an archival search in the relevant archives. This search can take up to 6 months since the documents were not converted into digital copies.
Usually, the searches are highly successful, and the required documents are found. This means that the process can proceed to the next step, the preparation of the request itself.
[Promoted Content]
-www.haaretz.com, 29 August 2023
Arno's Commentary
Those who receive German or Austrian citizenship become citizens of the European Union; the continent is open to them. The obvious advantage is ease of travel; according to CNN Travel, the five top passports in terms of visa-free destinations are: 1) Singapore; 2) Germany, Italy, Spain; 3) Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sweden; 4) Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, UK; 5) Belgium, Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, and Switzerland. Repeated research has revealed that countries whose citizens travel the most are significantly more successful than those whose citizens stay home.
We notice that Europe is the real power broker when it comes to global travel. WorldAtlas.com lists Hong Kong in first place, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. What was unthinkable just a century ago has now become reality. Due to travel, the world is increasingly being formed in the pattern of globalism.
Why globalism? The god of this world (all nations) is in the process of mimicking something that is most unusual; namely, the Church of Jesus Christ, consisting of born-again believers who are present in all countries on planet earth. Once that Church has reached its fullness, it will be taken out of this world. Then, the god of this world with all his demons, will have a heyday in building a near perfect world—although only temporary.
Arno Froese is the executive director of Midnight Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the acclaimed prophetic magazines Midnight Call and News From Israel. He has authored a number of well-received books, and has sponsored many prophecy conferences in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His extensive travels have contributed to his keen insight into Bible prophecy, as he sees it from an international perspective.
