- Oct 17, 2011
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Since Germany expanded its citizenship laws [in 2021, I believe] to allow more descendants of Jews who fled Nazi persecution to apply, interest has surged. While some applicants cite practical benefits like easier travel within the European Union, others point to deeper motivations.
That's the case for an increasing number of American Jews whose families escaped Nazi Germany. Some are now applying for German citizenship in order to reclaim their lost family heritage. But many also say that they're looking to secure a "Plan B" amid an increasingly uncertain political climate in the United States.
"This rise of authoritarianism just parallels the rise of Hitler," said Podietz, a retired I.T. consultant in Philadelphia. "The squelching of speech and the academic institutions being compromised. The signs are there. It's happening. It is scary."
"It just kind of feels like history is repeating itself here," Spring said. "And often I think, 'What would my mother do if she were alive now?'"
As antisemitism rises and political rhetoric intensifies, Spring said the answer might be found — ironically — in the country her family once fled.
That's the case for an increasing number of American Jews whose families escaped Nazi Germany. Some are now applying for German citizenship in order to reclaim their lost family heritage. But many also say that they're looking to secure a "Plan B" amid an increasingly uncertain political climate in the United States.
"This rise of authoritarianism just parallels the rise of Hitler," said Podietz, a retired I.T. consultant in Philadelphia. "The squelching of speech and the academic institutions being compromised. The signs are there. It's happening. It is scary."
"It just kind of feels like history is repeating itself here," Spring said. "And often I think, 'What would my mother do if she were alive now?'"
As antisemitism rises and political rhetoric intensifies, Spring said the answer might be found — ironically — in the country her family once fled.
