anders deutsch

The German constitution forbids the state to withdraw the German citizenship of anybody. This is a consequence of the Nazis withdrawing the citizenship of unwanted 'Germans' such as 'Jews'.

Last week the constitutional court had to decide on the withdrawal of the citizenship of a 'new', ie naturalised, German citizen. He had provided false documents when applying for the citizenhsip. The court has decided that it was constitutional to withdraw the citizenship. It argues that this regulation should only prevent the state of declaring some Germans as unworthy and withdrawing their citizenship.

If one, however, looks at the current discussions about naturalisations and the ever more restrictive regulations than one does get the impression that it is a case of 'unworthy Germans'. Those who want to get the German citizenship are faced with a general distrust.

In the case of the petitioner he had forged documents to proove that he earns enough to support his family. This naturally was illegal. But the question remains why somebody who wants to be naturalised needs to earn enough money to support his family? Especially, if he lives in a racist society where it is very difficult for him to get a job.

The most troublesome part of the ruling is that every naturalised German is threatened with withdrawal in future. The rules for naturalisation open a lot of space of arbitrary state action. We thus now have 'worthy' Germans, who were born as such, and 'unworthy' who were naturalised and must be mistrusted.