File No. 18071/4–5.

Ambassador Hill to the Secretary of State.

No. 223.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your instruction No. 106,1 of February 5, 1909, transmitting copies of correspondence with regard to the German military case of Mr. Gottlob Blickle, together with Mr. Blickle’s duly authenticated naturalization papers, and instructing me to ascertain the status of the case and report the facts to the department.

It appears from the wording of Mr. Blickle’s letter to the department that on his leaving Germany for the United States his father was required to deposit a certain sum of money with the authorities, and that this deposit had now been declared forfeited on account of the son’s failure to appear for the performance of his military service in Germany. In order, therefore, that the case may be brought to the attention of the German Government, with a view to having Mr. Blickle’s American citizenship recognized, his name stricken from the German military lists, and the forfeited money refunded to his father, the embassy should be placed in possession of certain information with regard to his birth and subsequent movements, the exact nature of which information is stated in the circular inclosed in duplicate herewith.

The embassy, while retaining Mr. Blickle’s naturalization papers, will therefore await the department’s further instructions in the matter.

I have, etc.,

David J. Hill.
[Inclosure.]

formalities in regard to military cases.

In view of the fact that many American citizens of German origin who desire to have their citizenship recognized by the German Government and their names struck from the German military lists, or who desire permission to visit or to remain temporarily in Germany, are unaware of the formalities which must be complied with before the embassy can take up their cases, the following information is given:

If the applicant is in Europe at the time of his request for intervention, he should forward, together with his application, his own or his father’s certificate [Page 269] of naturalization, according to which determines his American nationality. At the same time he should state clearly and precisely the following facts:

1.
Place and date of birth.
2.
Date of emigration to the United States.
3.
Date of naturalization, and before what court naturalized.
4.
Date of last leaving the United States and date of return to Germany.
5.
If molested by the German authorities, in what manner, i. e., order of expulsion, line, arrest, etc.
6.
Desired length of stay in Germany.
7.
Approximate date of intended return to the United States.
8.
If in possession of a passport, number, date, and place of issue.
9.
Previous visits to Germany.

On the receipt of such an application the embassy will consider whether, in view of the facts given, it is justified in intervening; and if so, will take up the applicant’s case with the German foreign office. The applicant’s certificate of naturalization will then be returned to him, when he should immediately forward it to America to be authenticated first by the secretary of state of the State in which it was issued, if it was issued by a State court, or by the Attorney General in Washington if issued by a Federal court, and then, in either case, by the Secretary of State of the United States at Washington, D. C, after which it should be returned to the embassy for transmission to the German Government.

If the applicant is in the United States at the time of his presentation of his case to the embassy, he should first have his certificate of naturalization authenticated according to the above instructions previous to forwarding it, together with his application and his answers to the above questions.

  1. Not printed.