1997/09/01 by Andreas Fahrmeir · 73 citations
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics #Political Systems and Governance #European Political History Analysis #Citizenship #German #Nationality #Legislation #State (computer science) #Unification #Political science #Law #Residence #History #Sociology #Politics #Immigration
paper · doi:10.1017/s0018246x97007383
published in The Historical Journal 40(3), 721-752 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 1997/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
According to the prevalent view, German citizenship was acquired only by descent from German citizens from the early nineteenth century onwards. This article argues, however, that a complete reading of the available sources suggests that citizenship was linked to the place of permanent residence in post-1815 legislation, and that the regulation of citizenship was a state responsibility, not one of the powers of the Germanic Confederation. The central points of citizenship law remained unchanged by the 1848 revolution and the unification of German states in 1866 and 1871, so that the increasing emphasis on descent in the 1913 Citizenship Act reflected a new departure rather than a traditional German concept of nationality.