From 2024 through July 2026, 2,672 people from 109 countries were naturalized in the Tübingen district; the District Administration Office announced these figures during the naturalization ceremony on October 2. Nearly 600 new citizens had registered for the ceremony—far more than expected. As a result, the ceremony could not take place in the large conference hall and had to be moved to the open glass hall.
In his welcoming remarks, District Administrator Hendrik Bednarz described the event as “a day of togetherness, on which we can all be proud of the result following the complex process that lies behind you and us.” The ceremony was deliberately held on the eve of German Unity Day. “People from the most diverse parts of the world have found a new home here and are now fully part of our community.” But this also means: “Daily work and effort await us all, because there are forces in this country that win elections and want to divide us into first- and second-class citizens.” Following his congratulations on naturalization, the District Administrator urged the audience: “Get involved—help us shape the future of democracy together!”
Integration Stories and Naturalization
Celin Sindlinger and Cara Liebenow, two trainees at the District Administrator’s Office, moderated the evening and led the discussion on naturalization. Among others, they interviewed Lobna Alhindi from Syria and Aysegül Narsap from Turkey—who has been an employee at the District Administrator’s Office for four years—about their integration stories and naturalization.
Alhindi recounted her long journey of escape from Syria—following the bombing and destruction of her home during the war—through Turkey to Germany. Narsap, the Turkish granddaughter of immigrants, was born in Tübingen and attended school here. She became a naturalized citizen because she identifies with both countries, after dual citizenship was made possible.
Security and Political Participation
Lobna Alhindi emphasized that German citizenship finally gives her a sense of security and stability. In addition to her volunteer work with “Ammerbuch hilft” and tünews INTERNATIONAL, she now has the opportunity to participate in politics: “This offers me a space for freedom and the chance to express my opinions and ideas and to actively help shape our society. But it also comes with a great responsibility toward society. That’s why you should think carefully about who you vote for and who you place your trust in.”
“Building a New Life”
Host Celin Sindlinger shared her impressions of the naturalization ceremony with tünews INTERNATIONAL: “I found it very impressive and beautiful to see how many people from such a wide variety of countries had come together. And I’m very happy to have been involved and to be a part of it.” She particularly liked that District Administrator Bednarz had shown in his speech “how people with very different experiences can build a life here and contribute to our society.”
A guest at the ceremony, Fatmire S. (name changed), a Kosovar who has become a German citizen, responded to a question from tünews INTERNATIONAL about what German citizenship means to her: “On the surface: with a German passport—and thus, for the first time, a real passport—everything is much easier; above all, I no longer have any problems at the Serbian border. But what’s important to me is the certainty that I’m now allowed to stay here. I no longer feel like a foreigner, even though, unlike many others, I hardly ever experienced racism before. At work, I’m accepted as a German. I’m also glad I no longer have to go to the immigration office regularly.”
An emotional moment: the national anthem
She knows the lyrics to the national anthem by heart and understands them as well. For Lobna Alhindi, it was a special moment when, accompanied by the trio from the Neckar Alb Youth Wind Orchestra, the audience sang the anthem in a very solemn and dignified manner: “When I heard the German national anthem, I felt both awe and pride, especially because I didn’t know beforehand that we would be singing it. It was a very emotional moment that I will never forget.”
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