---
title: When is German citizenship understood to have been withdrawn for political, religious or racial reasons?
description: Following Article 116 (2) of the German constitution, a descendent of a person whose German citizenship was taken away by the Nazi-regime, can reclaim German Citizenship. In which cases does this apply?
---

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1. [Dwyer Legal Knowledge Base](https://knowledge.dwyer-legal.com/?hsLang=en)
2. [German Citizenship](https://knowledge.dwyer-legal.com/german-citizenship?hsLang=en)
3. [Citizenship based on Nazi regime persecution](https://knowledge.dwyer-legal.com/german-citizenship?hsLang=en#citizenship-based-on-nazi-regime-persecution)

# When is German citizenship understood to have been withdrawn for political, religious or racial reasons?

## Following Article 116 (2) of the German constitution, a descendent of a person whose German citizenship was taken away by the Nazi-regime, can reclaim German Citizenship. In which cases does this apply?

As for the definition in  Article 116 (2) of the German constitution (Grundgesetz - GG), German citizenship is deemed to have been ‘withdrawn’ for political, religious or racial reasons, if it was either

- automatically lost as a consequence of § Section 2 of the 11th Ordinance to the Reich Citizenship Act of 25 November 1941 or
- if it was withdrawn by the Nazis with an act based on the Law on the Revocation of Naturalisation and the Withdrawal of German Citizenship of 14 July 1933in individual cases.

The same might also apply in other cases, which needs to be checked on a case to case basis.

Please eel free to contact us to obtain further information.

More detailed information:

Dwyer Legal [Citizenship Support Request Form](https://dwyer-legal.com/citizenship-request/?lang=en)

<https://dwyer-legal.com/private/german-citizenship-application/?lang=en>The Information provided in this Knowledge Database is for orientation only and not binding.

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More detailed information:

Dwyer Legal [Citizenship Support Request Form](https://dwyer-legal.com/citizenship-request/?lang=en)

Dwyer Legal [Homepage for more Information on our Citizenship Support Services](https://dwyer-legal.com/private/german-citizenship-application/?lang=en)

The Information provided in this Knowledge Database is for orientation only and not binding.

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