Mr. Olney to Mr. Uhl.
Washington, December 21, 1896.
Sir.: I have to inform you that your dispatch No. 196, of the 1st instant, stating that Mr. Ernst Friedrich Blumenthal, who became naturalized as an American citizen in the United States court for the western district of Pennsylvania on the 5th of January, 1893, recently called on Mr. Johnson, the United States consul at Stuttgart, exhibited his naturalization certificate and surrendered his passports, and then told the consul that he intended remaining permanently in Germany and renouncing his American citizenship, has been received.
In view of the statement made by Mr. Blumenthal, and of the fact that he voluntarily gave up his passports, the Department approves of Mr. Johnson’s course in receiving them, and they have accordingly been placed on file here with your dispatch.
It may be observed, however, that Mr. Blumenthal’s statement and the surrender of his passports do not necessarily reinvest him with German nationality, but merely evidences his renunciation of his naturalization in the United States, according to Article IV of the convention of 1868 with North Germany. Whether Germany will readmit him to citizenship is another thing.
In a general way, if it should appear that a naturalized American citizen, by any voluntary act recognized or prescribed by German law, has resumed his German allegiance or been readmitted to German nationality, the surrender of the passport of such a person may properly be demanded.
I am, etc.,