Citizenship Restore is a registered Swiss nonprofit that helps descendants of people persecuted under the Nazi regime understand and document possible pathways to restored German or Austrian citizenship. Our work combines historical research, archival documentation, educational resources, eligibility guidance and subsidized assistance for families who may otherwise struggle to navigate complex requirements.
We focus on the evidence behind each family story: civil records, residence documents, persecution records, emigration material, naturalization files and other historical sources that may help establish identity, lineage and the circumstances in which citizenship was lost or denied. Where appropriate, we help families organize this material into a clear chronological record that can be used when preparing an application.
Our mission is both practical and educational. We preserve historical memory while helping descendants understand what happened to their families and what restoration mechanisms may be available today. Citizenship Restore is not a government authority, and final eligibility decisions are made by the competent German or Austrian authorities.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Jewish families and other people targeted by the Nazi regime were excluded from public life, stripped of rights, forced into exile, denaturalized or prevented from maintaining their legal ties to Germany and Austria. Those events fractured families across borders and left documentary gaps that can still affect descendants today.
Modern restoration and declaration procedures were created to address parts of that historical injustice. Depending on the facts of a family history, an applicant may need to prove ancestry, former citizenship or residence, persecution, forced emigration, loss of nationality and the chain of descent between generations.
Our educational work explains these categories in plain language and highlights the evidence commonly used to support them. We encourage applicants to rely on official requirements and competent authorities for final legal determinations.
Many descendants begin with only fragments: a family name, a city, an old passport, a story about emigration or a document kept for generations. Our role is to turn those fragments into a structured research plan. We identify likely repositories, explain what each record can prove, and help families distinguish useful evidence from material that is historically interesting but not legally decisive.
Because every family history is different, there is no single checklist that works for everyone. A case may involve several countries, changing borders, different spellings of names, missing civil records or conflicting dates. We therefore work step by step, documenting sources and uncertainties instead of making assumptions.
Whenever possible, our nonprofit assistance is directed toward families who need help but cannot easily afford professional research support. Fee-based services are offered separately and help sustain our charitable and educational work.
Citizenship Restore is a registered Swiss nonprofit. We preserve historical memory, support archival research and provide educational guidance for descendants of people persecuted under National Socialism who are exploring German or Austrian citizenship restoration.
An overview of Article 116(2), Section 15, descendant eligibility, archival evidence and commonly used documentation.
Read the guideAn educational overview of Section 58c, documentary research and the declaration process for descendants.
Read the guideHow archival research helps reconstruct family lines, nationality, persecution and migration records while preserving family memory.
Read the guideOur eligibility guidance is preliminary and informational. Citizenship decisions are made exclusively by the competent German or Austrian authorities.
