With Wings and Roots Featured in Christian Science Monitor re: Dual Citizenship in Germany (Press)

(Excerpted from a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor)

Germany has made a historic change to its citizenship laws, allowing dual citizenship for the first time. This shift, passed by the government, holds immense potential for the millions of residents with immigrant backgrounds who, until now, were forced to choose between their heritage and being fully recognized as German citizens.

In a recent article, “Germans can now be dual citizens. But will society treat them like they belong?” Lenora Chu dives deep into this significant change, exploring its potential and challenges. She speaks with Miman Jasarovski, Board Member of Wings and Roots, Film Protagonist of our film FROM HERE and Campaign Organizer of our Campaign "Pass(t) uns Allen" (Citizenship Suits Us All), who offers his perspective on what this new law means for people like him—those born and raised in Germany but long treated as outsiders.

Miman reflects on his personal experience, saying, “When you’re born and raised in Germany as a so-called foreigner, you feel like a stepchild of the country. Like not the original child, but like Cinderella who does the dirty work and has to be there for everybody but has no rights.” For many migrants and their descendants, this feeling of exclusion has been the reality for generations.

The new dual citizenship law represents an acknowledgment of those who have long contributed to Germany’s economy and society. As Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated, “We are saying to all those who have often lived and worked in Germany for decades, who abide by our laws, who are at home here: You belong to Germany.” Yet, as Miman points out, while the law may open the doors to recognition, the social challenges remain. "The integration and belonging that Chancellor Scholz refers to might take some time to develop, as German society grapples with questions of identity."

The article also features Olga Gerstenberger, German Director of With Wings and Roots and Coalition Organizer of "Citizenship Suits Us All", who highlights the ongoing tensions between Germany's more progressive legal framework and its cultural identity. Olga notes,

“In a conceptual sense, [the German law] acknowledges that many of us have multiple languages [and] cultures. Families have been growing up with this completely normal context. [The law] could be an acceptance of multiplicity as completely normal." However, she also points out the strong push from conservative elements of society to preserve a more homogeneous idea of German identity, making it unclear whether societal acceptance will truly follow the legal change.

While the law is a positive step, there are still practical hurdles to overcome, such as complicated application processes and the potential for long delays. The question that lingers, especially for families who have faced decades of discrimination and exclusion, is whether the legal right to dual citizenship will truly translate into the full sense of belonging that so many have been denied. As Rauf Ceylan, a German-Turkish sociologist, writes, “After all, if you are still perceived as a foreigner despite being naturalized... why should you naturalize?”

To read more about the challenges and hopes that come with this legal shift, read the full article here.