Naturalisation fraud: Chinese nationals posed as descendants of Nazi victims
Several fraudsters obtained German passports, according to Der Spiegel, by posing as grandchildren of persecuted Jews. Authentic descendants have reacted with outrage.
Fraudulently obtained passports: Chinese deceived authorities with false Nazi victim ancestry
DER SPIEGEL (Justice & Crime) reports that a number of fraudsters have obtained German citizenship by posing as grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Jews persecuted under National Socialism. The perpetrators are believed to be Chinese nationals.
According to the report, those affected exploited a statutory entitlement to naturalisation available to genuine descendants of Nazi persecution victims in order to obtain German passports — without being able to prove their actual ancestry.
Authentic descendants of the persecuted have reacted with outrage at the findings of Der Spiegel's investigation. They see their own history and the memory of their ancestors damaged by the fraud.
According to the report, it remains unclear whether the responsible authorities examined the submitted documents with sufficient care. Critics accuse the authorities of proceeding too credulously. Investigations into the full extent of the fraud are ongoing.