Since the 2016 referendum on staying in or leaving the European Union ended with 52% of UK voters preferring to continue on their own, thank you very much, individuals who had fled Nazi Germany to Britain and their descendants have been the majority of applicants for German passports, Deutsche Welle reported last week.
A total of 3,408 former German citizens who were deprived of citizenship on “political, racial, or religious grounds” — and their descendants — have used the German Constitution’s Article 116 which permits them to apply to renew their citizenship.
Altogether, 3,731 UK citizens have applied for German citizenship since 2016, presumably making Jews 91.3% of all applicants.
Tens of thousands of Jews fled Germany for England before and during the Holocaust, including an estimated 10,000 children whose parents sent them to safety as part of the 1938-39 “Kindertransport.”
Now, according to figures published by the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper group, many of them are willing to give the old Deutschland a second chance, in light of the nearing completion of the Brexit brteakaway.
Meanwhile, Aliyah figures from the UK rose by 7% – to a whopping 371, as many British Jews are worried about the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn-led, pro-Arab, anti-Semitic Labour government coming to power. Indeed, MK Michael Oren (Kulanu), who is a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, has urged Israel to prepare “the warmest invitation” for British Olim should Corbyn win and massive waves of them hit the shores of Tel Aviv.
Still, judging by the comparative figures, our British brethren would probably end up on the shores of Hamburg.