The Mazal Library

©MAZAL LIBRARY

NMT04-T0760

NUERNBERG MILITARY TRIBUNAL
Volume IV · Page 760

(1) In accordance with paragraph 2 of the law concerning the reunion of the Free City of Danzig with the German Reich which law came into force on the day of publication, i.e., 1 September 1939 (Reich Law Gazette I, page 1547), citizens of the former Free City of Danzig will become German citizens according to specific regulations. Furthermore, paragraph 6 of the Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor, dated 8 October 1939, concerning the structure and administration of the Eastern territories, (Reich Law Gazette I, pages 2042, 2057) which decree came into force on 26 October 1939, provides that the inhabitants of incorporated territories who are of German or related blood are to become German citizens according to specific regulations. Final provisions regulating the acquisition of German citizenship as a result of the reunion of the Eastern territories with the German Reich cannot be issued at the present time. Therefore, I issue the following temporary regulations until final legal regulations will be issued:

(2) German citizens are all those persons of German origin who —

1. held Danzig citizenship until 1 September 1939, or

2. held Polish citizenship until 26 October 1939 and who, at that date, belonged to the inhabitants of Greater Germany including the Incorporated Eastern Territories, or

3. after loss of Polish citizenship, remained stateless until 26 October, 1939 and, at that date, belonged to the inhabitants of the Greater German Reich including the Incorporated Eastern Territories.

No. 3 also includes all those persons of German origin who were regarded as Polish citizens on the part of Germany but whose Polish citizenship was not recognized by Polish authorities and who, therefore, had to be treated as stateless persons. The question of whether or not a person is a member of the German people is decided by Circular Decree dated 29 March 1939 (RMBliV, page 783). Acquisition of German citizenship by persons mentioned under No. 1 took place by 1 September 1939 and by persons mentioned under Nos. 2 and 3 by 26 October 1939.

(3) Acquisition of the German citizenship by persons designated in paragraph (2) includes their wives as well. If, on the key day (1 September 1939 or 26 October 1939), a marriage had been dissolved by the husband's death, by divorce and so forth, the wife will be considered independently with regard to the acquisition of German citizenship. A married woman who in her own right complies with the conditions set out in paragraph (2) nevertheless does not acquire German citizenship unless her husband does.

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