German/Polish Citizenship. Is my father German or Pole?

Hello,
My grandparents were born in Poland. During WWII my father was born in a refugee camp. He was 3 when they came to the US. Is my father German? Can he obtain a citizenship there? Or is my father Polish and can he obtain citizenship there? I would assume this would be a dual citizenship between US and Germany/Poland.

Thank you kindly for your help!

Where was your father born, Germany lost territory to poland after the WW2 and the border moved almost 200km west. Was your father born in what was formerly Germany? The Germans have been quite liberal at issuing citizenship to volksdeustch in conquered territory even to Volksdeustch colonies outside of former Germany. For example Romania. If you can be more specific about the born in Poland bit it may be helpful.

If at least one of your grandparents was a Polish citizen at the time of your father's birth, he was born a Polish citizen, no matter where he was born. However, he may have subsequently lost his Polish citizenship (for example by taking another nationality or by serving in armed forces which were not Polish).

No way he can get a German Citizenship if He was born in a Refugee camp during the WWII in Germany. The other thing is what year he was born and which refugee camp it was? I meant for one Poles the war was finished when the German Army went out of Poland and for the others when Allies took over German territory. As I know history during German occupation either in Poland nor in Germany there were no refugee camps just concentrations camps and work camps or camps for soldiers called Stalagen. But there no children were born. The other camps I know under German control there were camps for Varsovians after Warsaw uprising but they didn't call them refugee camps. the Conclusion is if the camp was under German control he can't get a German citizenship and if it was under control of the other country like American or England he can't get to as well. That time it wasn't important where you was born but was citizenship your parents got.

thank you for the information. I'm not sure of the exact name of the camp. my family NEVER speaks of it and doesn't ask questions. only on a couple of occasions did i hear a little tidbit. according to my grandmother, they were working in these camps. my grandmother said since her children had blonde hair and blue eyes she could work less if she produced more of the same. she's in her 90s so perhaps she doesn't remember correctly. my father had told me the camp no longer exists (forget the name) but it was in was once east Germany. the territory is still today part of Germany. he was born there. I'm sorry i have so little to go on, just curious about it.

Have you tried the German records? Sounds like he was born in an East German camp. If you have the exact date, I would think you should be able to trace it.

Hi, you can apply for Polish citizenship. Fact that your father was born in Germany do not entitle you for German citizenship (assuming that his parents were not German citizen).

If you want more details let me know.
Best regards,
Meggi

Its all confusing for me and I can understand the dilemma. I was born in a Labor camp in Oldenberg Germany in 1944 before the war ended. My parents were Polish. My mother in Oldenburg and my father (I presume) in Buchenwald. whom my mother presumed dead. She died believing this. The man I believe is my father the ITS has informed me was in a DP Camp in Fallingbostel in 1945. I have a so called birth certificate issued that names my father even though I was born out of wedlock. The German government will not give me a recent copy of my birth certificate with my fathers name on it saying that what I have is not a valid birth certificate but only something issued after the war by the roman church. I am so in a soup... I know what is the truth and yet I am denied the truth. I am trying to find my fathers footsteps. Also wondering if I am entitled to German Citizenship since I was born in Oldenburg. If any one has any info please contact me at simcha55@hotmail

Do you have any documents from that time frame where the grandparents and your father were in that refugee camp? Any documents that can verify the time frame and location will help. Then either send an email or go to the nearest German embassy or consulate and ask them that you need to clarify a matter of citizenship. But chances are without documents you will not be entitled to German citizenship. Even if the relatives are unwilling to talk about it, ask them for photos and other documents that they may have still in their possession because you want to do a bit of genealogy on the family. They may be telling the truth and don't remember, but letters sent or received by them may help to find the location and other relatives.

If you were born out of wedlock, only if your mother was German.

My father was not a German nor a Pole he is a Silesian and fought with the poles in France 1944 driving a tank at the age of 18

Silesia is part of Poland so your father was Polish.

Maybe he was Czech? Part of Silesia is in the Czech Republic.

contrary to American or British law German law is a blood law - you have to have German parent to be automatically considered German

No. Listen. You can always come to Poland and claim that your father was Polish. If they ask you to prove, you just say that you clearly understand how neither you neither your father wouldn`t even exist if there were no your Polish ancestors who unfortunately were germanized. Now, you as sane, regret their germanziation and wants to correct things and re-become Polish. They would love you and grant you citizenship.

I've checked with the German government and they tell me I'm not eligible to be a citizen of Germany. In my case my mother and father were taken as slave labor during the war. My father worked in a factory and my mother on a farm. They met at a displaced person's camp in Germany after the war waiting to be repatriated out of Germany. I was born in this camp. The fact that my mother and father had no choice that they were in Germany made no difference to the German Government. Born on their country didn't make me a citizen, nor do I have any rights under German law.

This is obvious, especially since your parents were Polish.