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I work on two main areas – on the intersection of Czech and German citizenship issues, primarily regarding Sudetendeutsche and Jewish citizenship, and on Czech citizenship for US citizens, including pre-1918 cases.
If you were a Czech or Czechoslovak citizen, or one of your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents was (in some cases even later generations), you might be eligible to claim Czech/EU citizenship. I have prepared s. 31 and s. 32 declaration cases, as well as Benes Decree cases, including re-opening them. I have also worked on Winton Children’s cases.
I have worked on applications for the Czech Compatriot Certificate (Potvrzení o příslušnosti ke krajanské komunitě) for people with Czech heritage, which can lead to the permanent residency card and later citizenship.
If your ancestors were Czechoslovak citizens of German ethnicity (either Jews or so-called Sudetendeutsche, you might be eligible for German citizenship. I have prepared Feststellung, StAG 5, and StAG 15 cases.
If your ancestors were included on the so-called Volkliste, you might be eligible for German citizenship.
If your ancestors were Czechoslovak citizens of the Jewish religion, you might be eligible for both Czech and German.
I can evaluate your case, and if the outcome is positive, we can work together on making your case.
Please send a description of your case to [email protected] for a complimentary consultation.
My writings on the citizenship topics:
Navrácení občanství bývalým občanům České republiky podle § 31 odst. 1 zákona č. 186/2013 Sb. o státním občanství České republiky – návod a vzor prohlášení [Restoration of citizenship to former citizens of the Czech Republic under § 31(1) of Act No. 186/2013 Coll., on the Citizenship of the Czech Republic – guidance and declaration template], Harvard Law School Blog, 1/2014, Now available at the Columbia Blogs page.
Návod jak získat zpátky občanství ČR pro bývalé občany ČR ve formátu docx a vzor prohlášení [Instructions on how to regain Czech citizenship for former citizens of the Czech Republic in docx format and a declaration template], mimeo, 1/2014, Now available at the Columbia Blogs page.
Ceskoslovenske federalni a ceske nebo slovenske socialisticke obcanstvi [Czechslovak and Czech or Slovak Socialist Citizenship], Harvard Law School Blog, 12/2014, Now available at the Columbia Blogs page.
Židovský majetek a podmínka občanství, Harvard Law School, mimeo, 2018.
Jüdisches Eigentum und die Frage der deutschen und tschechoslowakischen Staatsangehörigkeit im ehemaligen Sudetenland [Jewish property and the question of German and Czechoslovak citizenship in the former Sudetenland], Harvard Law School, mimeo, 2018.
The Last Chance for Czechoslovak Jews of German Nationality, forthcoming, email for a copy, 2023.
German-speaking Jews and Deutsche Volkliste, German Citizenship Claims, in review, email for a copy, 2024.
Zhodnocení poslaneckého návrhu 585 měnící zákon 186/2013 Sb. o státním občanství České republiky, limited circulation for now, June 2025.
Právní postavení dětí osob, které ztratily občanství smlouvami o naturalizaci, případ československých občanů, Sep 2025.