Germany
German Citizenship Restoration Under Article 116(2) for Descendants of Persecuted Germans
Article 116(2) of Germany's Basic Law says former German citizens who were deprived of their citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds between January 30, 1933 and May 8, 1945, and their descendants, shall have their citizenship restored on application. Source: German Consulate General Sydney (Federal Foreign Office)
What "deprived" means here
Citizenship counts as deprived if it was either lost automatically under section 2 of the 11th Decree to the Reich Citizenship Law of November 25, 1941, or taken away individually under the Act of July 14, 1933 on revoking naturalizations and depriving German citizenship. Source: Federal Office of Administration (BVA)
Which descendants can apply
Each descendant has an individual claim, so grandchildren and great-grandchildren can apply even if their parents don't. Children under 16 need parental consent. Source: Federal Foreign Office
After a 2020 Federal Constitutional Court decision (2 BvR 2628/18), descendants also include children born in wedlock before April 1, 1953 to a deprived mother and a foreign father, and children born out of wedlock before July 1, 1993 to a deprived father and a foreign mother. People previously rejected on those grounds can apply again; no special form is needed. Source: Federal Foreign Office
Another citizenship
Anyone who acquired a foreign citizenship by application after being deprived of German citizenship is still entitled to restoration, and so are their descendants. Those who acquired a foreign citizenship before being deprived may instead qualify under Section 15 of the Nationality Act. Source: Federal Foreign Office
How to apply
The Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt) handles all applications from abroad, and German missions can accept and forward them. Every applicant fills out a separate form; if you claim through a great-grandparent, you also fill out Appendix V (Anlage V). Source: Federal Foreign Office The application is free of charge. Source: Federal Foreign Office
The German mission abroad responsible for you can help; no special form is needed if you're reapplying after an earlier rejection covered by the 2020 ruling. Source: Federal Foreign Office The step-by-step details above come from the German Consulate General in Sydney's page; your local mission's booking and mailing rules may differ.