On January 25, 2021, Ambassador Martin Weiss congratulated Noah and his brother Jordan on becoming new citizens of Austria in memory of their late grandfather, the Vienna-born quantum physicist Dr. Fritz Rohrlich. 

The two brothers acquired Austrian citizenship under a new law for descendants of victims of National Socialism, which entered into force last September. Since that, almost 4,000 U.S. citizens have contacted the Austrian consulates in the U.S. to express serious interest in acquiring dual citizenship under the new law, and more than 1,200 have already filed the official citizenship declaration.

Background:

In September 2019, the Austrian Parliament unanimously adopted an amendment to the Austrian Nationality Act (sec 58c) in recognition of Austria’s historical responsibility and as a further gesture in its efforts to achieve reconciliation with the victims of National Socialism and their descendants.

Eligible descendants of victims of the National Socialist regime can claim Austrian citizenship since September 1, 2020 by means of a simple declaration. The victims themselves where already eligible to reclaim Austrian citizenship before. There exists no time limit to file the declaration for citizenship, which can also be done without an attorney. Learn more