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Why I’m fundraising
This isn’t just about my family, it’s a strategic, precedent setting court case. For decades, tens of thousands of families have been denied German citizenship because of a 1970–1986 technicality: if a child was born out of wedlock, the father’s acknowledgement had to be blessed by a German Jugendamt, a step that was practically impossible for families living abroad.
Our case asks the court to do what Germany’s own conflict-of-laws rules require: respect foreign-valid paternity acknowledgements.
German courts are split: Cologne has taken a strict line; Berlin (2025) ruled the opposite, if the acknowledgement was valid under local law, the authorities must respect it. Ours will be one of the first cases in Cologne after the Berlin ruling. If Cologne refuses to follow, we’ll appeal so a higher court (Federal Administrative Court - the “Supreme Court of Germany”) can set one national rule. A fair ruling here could unlock a pathway for thousands stuck in this “infamous years” trap.
Why this matters
The rule was discriminatory in the 70s/80s and it’s discriminatory now. Families who did everything correctly where they lived are punished because they didn’t tick a German-only box they couldn’t have known about. The law should support people, not bureaucracy.
A proven path for change
Germany has already shown it can correct mistakes. In 2021, a court case opened the door for potentially hundreds of thousands of people who had been wrongly excluded from citizenship because of discriminatory laws that meant women couldn't pass down citizenship to their children. That reform only came after years of court fights.
Now it’s time to fix this injustice.
My family story
For four years our Feststellung (confirmation of citizenship) sat in the German bureaucratic queue. Then came rejection, not for lack of evidence, but because of the 1970–1986 technicality.
My grandparents, living in South Africa, did everything right in 1982: they signed sworn affidavits acknowledging paternity, which were accepted by South African authorities and reflected on the birth certificate. Yet because they didn’t also get an obscure German consent from a Jugendamt, the BVA now says my mother and aunt aren’t legally the children of their own father.
We’re a family who speak German, identify as German, and have carried that connection for years. My cousins would love the chance to study in Europe. To be denied citizenship for a paper only formality no one abroad could realistically meet feels absurd and deeply unfair.
What we’ll argue
We’ll present decisive evidence that:
- The 1982 affidavits in South Africa were a valid acknowledgement of paternity under local law.
- German conflict-of-laws rules (EGBGB) require that foreign-valid family-status acts be respected, unless they violate fundamental public policy.
- The “Jugendamt consent” requirement cannot override foreign-valid acknowledgements.
This is a strong legal argument with recent support from the courts.
Why we need your help
Taking this to court is the only way to force Germany to consider the evidence properly. That means filing a lawsuit in Cologne, paying court fees, and covering the costs of certified translations and legal work.
The first phase costs about €3,000. If we succeed, not only does my family get justice, but we set a precedent that can help countless others from the “infamous years.” Phase two, the filing of the case in the Federal Court of Germany costs roughly another €3,000.
This fight is about fairness, about ending a bureaucratic trap that has cheated families for decades, and about finally creating one consistent rule that applies to everyone.
Some clarifying comments
- Use of funds: All money raised will go directly to covering the legal and procedural costs of filing my family's case in Cologne - including the mandatory court advance, certified translations, lawyer’s fees, and courier/apostille costs of South African documents.
- If I recover costs: If the court rules in my favour, part of the fees (not all) will be reimbursed. If that happens, I will donate the equivalent amount back to the moderators of the subreddit r/GermanCitizenship, who regularly help people seeking their right to German Citizenship, many of whom can’t afford to pay for legal services. That way, your support helps build a fund to assist others facing the same barriers.
- Evidence & budget: Here is a to the full evidence and tracking . This includes redacted versions of the BVA rejection, the lawyer’s invoice, and an itemised budget of the case.
- Full transparency: For accountability, I will keep a public log of all outgoing payments related to this case. Donors will be able to see exactly how the money is being used, step by step.
Update 07/10/25: A huge thank you to the incredible generosity shown so far. I have extended the goal to £5,000 as I am blown away by the momentum the fundraiser has gotten. This increase reflects the costs of filing in the Federal Court of Germany - which is likely to be needed. All underspend will be donated to r/GermanCitizenship to help others who can't afford to apply for their right to citizenship.
Organizer
