Jewish comedy star Matt Lucas takes German citizenship
MORE THAN 80 years since his grandmother fled Berlin, comedian and Bake Off host Matt Lucas has become a German citizen.
The Jewish television star — famous for playing obnoxious teenager Vicky Pollard in Noughties sketch show Little Britain — said he had officially become Anglo-German after singing the Flintstones theme tune to embassy staff in their own language.
“Having been offered citizenship, I have just been to the German Embassy in London to collect my Certificate of Naturalisation,” Mr Lucas wrote on Twitter.
Staff gave the Great British Bake Off presenter gummy bears, or “gummibärchen,” and a “lovely badge” depicting the German and British flags.
After Bundesliga club Union Berlin replied to Mr Lucas with “willkommen”, the Arsenal fan declared they were his new German team. He said the process had taken six months and he could now claim a German passport.
Earlier this year, the German parliament voted to lift restrictions that prevented some descendants of German Jews from claiming citizenship.
Those whose ancestors were persecuted by the Nazis — including Roma and Jews — now have an easier path to becoming citizens of the country.
Lawyer Felix Couchman, who lobbied for the change, told the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle at the time that the new law was “a milestone”.
He said receiving citizenship was significant as it symbolised “a recognition that a wrong was done to them and their family members and forebears and that is now finally being acknowledged and being corrected”.
It has been 80 years since his grandmother fled the Nazis