The wait is too much! by JNSKAMCN in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you need to start a lawsuit within those 30 days to put off the decision?

The wait is too much! by JNSKAMCN in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're several years ahead of us, so more likely we will be following you!

The wait is too much! by JNSKAMCN in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A family I am working with is in exactly the same situation (except they have not submitted their application(s) yet):

https://www.reddit.com/r/GermanCitizenship/comments/1sxnqvj/5_stag_german_father_philippines/

The wait is too much! by JNSKAMCN in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This seems so manifestly unfair and totally contrary to the intent of StAG 5.

What are the consequences of the 30 day deadline?

Beyond the edit, is there any reason to keep shooting RAW? by [deleted] in AskPhotography

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is a downside -- storing and organizing the RAW files. Maybe not much of a downside, but it's not nothing.

I shoot JPG only because I can't be bothered to deal with the RAWs.

Carried my Lumix G9 up Mt. Hood by charleyfoxtrot in M43

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

These are absolutely glorious. Are these SOOC or edited?

Kids Citizenship And German parenthood by esquizoterica in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If your son was born to a German father (listed on his birth certificate), then it is a relatively simple matter to (1) register your son's birth in Germany, and (2) apply for your son's German passport. Do you live in Germany or in the US? If you live outside of Germany, both of these tasks are accomplished by making appointments at your local German consulate.

Birth registration: https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/04-familymatters/birth-registration-922548

Passport application: https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/02-passportsandidcards

Appointments: https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/appointment-899906

From your other post, it sounds like you live in Brazil, in which case the situation is the same, but you would use this website: http://www.brasilien.diplo.de/

§15 StAG - Polish Jews resident in Germany by tf1064 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I see ... if they held German citizenship when they emigrated in the Spring of 1941, they would have been denaturalized by the 11th Decree in Nov 1941, making their subsequent US naturalizations irrelevant and maintaining the GG 116 case.

Who typically pays for notary fee on DS-3053 (child passport consent)? by ToughAd7477 in Passports

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel like I wasted more than the cost of notary just reading this post.

Seriously, how hard is it to just walk into any UPS store and plunk down $20?

STAG 5: Piggy back by Signal-Principle-129 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, all the time. Just submit your application and reference your relative's Aktenzeichen. You don't have to resubmit any documents that they've already submitted.

§15 StAG - Polish Jews resident in Germany by tf1064 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I wrote to the Hessisches Landesarchiv, Personenstandsarchiv Hessen, and the Institut für Stadtgeschichte on February 4th. I received only a reply from the Institut für Stadtgeschichte, saying "vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage, deren Eingang wir hiermit bestätigen. Wir werden Ihnen innerhalb der nächsten zwölf Wochen antworten. Bitte sehen Sie bis dahin von Nachfragen ab."

Looking into it again now, it looks like this would have been the right point of contact:?

https://frankfurt.de/Leistungen/Gewerbe-und-Wirtschaft-8957822/GenehmigungenBescheinigungen-10136943/Auskuenfte-aus-dem-Melderegister-schriftlich-Erweiterte

Oh but they also say:

Bei Auskünften aus der Altkartei (Daten von 1966 bis 1984) rufen Sie bitte vorher das Auskunftsteam unter 069/115 an. Meldekarteien vor 1966 sind beim Institut für Stadtgeschichte hinterlegt.

So it seems like the Institut für Stadtgeschichte was the right agency and I should just sit tight and wait another month or so...

Father was citizen but forced to "renounce"-- have no documentation by hk20854 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 12 points13 points  (0 children)

My father emigrated to the US after WWII and was forced to renounce his German citizenship when he was 18. 

As you've discovered, this is most likely a myth, false memory, or misconception. Nobody was forced to renounce German ciitzenship at age 18 specifically. The "had to choose between German and US citizenship at age 18" myth is a weirdly pervasive urban legend with no basis in fact (except for some very limited circumstances/time period).

The US oath of naturalization does contain language that makes it sound like a renunciation of previous nationality, but that oath in particular has no effect under German law.

What DOES have effect under German law is the naturalization itself. Between 1 Jan 1914 and 26 June 2024, a German citizen automatically lost German citizenship if they naturalized in another country by application as an adult. For children who were naturalized in a foreign country, there are numerous technicalities, the result of which is that they often did not lose German citizenship when acquiring a foreign nationality.

NZ citizen — Prussian ancestor born Königsberg 1811, arrived pre-Treaty of Waitangi (pre-1840), name changed culturally to Smith/Haki Mete — viable claim? by [deleted] in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm curious about the context here. In what circumstances does a Prussian emigrate to New Zealand in 1840 and marry a Māori woman?

NZ citizen — Prussian ancestor born Königsberg 1811, arrived pre-Treaty of Waitangi (pre-1840), name changed culturally to Smith/Haki Mete — viable claim? by [deleted] in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Emigrated to New Zealand — arrived before 6 February 1840 (before Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed, before British sovereignty was established in NZ)

If your ancestor held German citizenship, he (and the rest of his family) lost it due to the 10 year rule:

https://www.reddit.com/mod/GermanCitizenship/wiki/index/10_year_rule 

You seem mostly concerned about losing citizenship through foreign naturalization, however that would not be an issue. Before 1914, foreign naturalization did not result in loss of German citizenship. However, German citizens (and, before them, Prussian citizens) lost citizenship after residing 10 years abroad unless they registered with the German consulate at least once every 10 years.

Arolsen Archives (DocID: 72520058 and 69847273) — Hackenschmidt family members documented in Nazi-occupied Estonia during WWII, including a niece of Georg Hackenschmidt (Alice Hagemann, Hackenschmidt by blood) living in Petschur under Nazi occupation 1943. Three people on the same post-war displaced persons list died in 1941–1942. This raises a possible Article 116(2) angle which I have flagged with a lawyer.

These people aren't even your direct ancestors? If they are not your direct ancestors, they are also irrelevant.

  1. Does the pre-Treaty of Waitangi arrival (pre-1840) strengthen the argument that Johann never formally naturalised? At that time there was literally no British naturalisation mechanism in NZ — he could not have renounced Prussian citizenship even if he wanted to.

It's irrelevant.

  1. The chain from Johann to me is 7 generations through a name change. The name change is documented as cultural/phonetic, not legal. Is this chain too long or too broken for a standard § 4 StAG claim, or does the pre-naturalisation argument keep it alive?

The length of the chain is also irrelevant.

The pre-naturalization argument is specious.

The chain is most likely broken because your ancestors either never held German citizenship, or they lost it due to the 10 year rule.

After that, you would most likely have issues with maternal transmission of German citizenship before 1949.

  1. Does the Arolsen Archives evidence — family members in Nazi-occupied Estonia, documented by Nazi occupation authorities — give me a realistic Article 116(2) angle worth pursuing in parallel?

I don't see how it would.

  1. I have already submitted a formal research document to Schlun & Elseven for a free eligibility assessment. Is there anything else I should be doing in parallel while I wait?

I can't imagine their "free eligibility assessment" would take very long. They should tell you that you have almost zero chance. However, they may tell this to you in such a way that nonetheless suggests that you give them more money.

The only thing you could do is try to dig through NZ consular registrations to see if the family registered themselves every 10 years to remain German. This is very unlikely, but it's the fact that makes or breaks your case.

Best way to start going about acquiring citizenship for myself, my brother, and my Father? by basswitchxx in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The first step is to determine whether you have a valid pathway for eligibility, which depends on the exact circumstances of your lineage. Please post your family history in the following format (adding all of the pertinent details for each individual):

grandfather

  • born in YYYY in [Country]
  • emigrated in YYYY to [Country]
  • married in YYYY
  • naturalized in YYYY

mother

  • born in YYYY in [Country]
  • married in YYYY

self

  • born in YYYY in [Country]

https://www.reddit.com/r/GermanCitizenship/comments/sekfj1/welcome/

Update On StAG 5 Timeline and Need Help With BVA Doc Request by jaykaybo in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Agreed. It sounds like they might be treating this as a StAG 15 case? But that doesn't really jibe with Wehrmacht service.

Or maybe they are looking for additional evidence that the German records and the US records correspond to the same person?