Israelis Surge Claims for German Citizenship Following October 7 Attacks

Tens of thousands of Israelis have applied for German citizenship in recent years on historical grounds, with a significant surge recorded following the October 7, 2023, attacks. According to data released by the federal government in Germany, the number of passports issued to Israelis for these reasons has also seen a dramatic increase, jumping by 60% last year compared to the previous year.

Data indicates that approximately 170,000 applications for the restoration of German citizenship have been submitted to German authorities in recent years. This includes applications from descendants of those deprived of citizenship due to Nazi persecution. In 2021, Germany expanded eligibility criteria, allowing individuals who resided in Germany during the relevant period and were denied citizenship under Nazi laws to apply, rather than limiting it strictly to former citizens. This legislative change triggered a wave of applications, the vast majority originating from Israel.

Surge Driven by Security Concerns

"The overwhelming majority of applications now come from Israel," sociologist Marc M. Fuchs told the German newspaper Die Welt. "We are seeing an enormous increase in applications from Israel starting in 2023." The newspaper noted that a primary catalyst is likely the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war. Experts suggest that for many Israelis, obtaining a European passport serves as a security measure and a contingency plan, echoing historical memories of the 1930s when many nations refused to accept Jewish refugees.

Since 2023, 45% of historical citizenship restoration applications have come from Israel, alongside roughly 80% of applications tied specifically to Nazi persecution. German authorities have accelerated processing at a moderate pace, issuing 11,500 passports in 2025—a 60% increase from the roughly 6,900 issued the prior year. Out of the citizenships restored in 2025, 5,924 were granted to Israeli citizens, 2,995 to Americans, and 1,508 to Europeans.

Alongside the influx of Israeli applicants, British and American Jews have also increasingly sought citizenship restoration due to Brexit and broader socio-political conditions in the United States. Meanwhile, investigations have emerged regarding fraudulent attempts, with German magazine Der Spiegel reporting that Chinese mafia networks attempted to exploit the restoration process using forged documents, prompting temporary suspensions in certain processing channels.