Bonn / Germany (RNN Correspondent) 11.02.1998

Danes, Sorbians, Frisians, and Roma of German nationality can get back their original names that they had to give up under the Nazi regime. This has been set down in the German contract law within the framework agreement of the Council of Europe for the pr otection of minorities. The law will come into effect on coming Sunday.

A speaker of the Ministry of Justice explained in Bonn on Thursday that this law concerns cases where people had been forced to change their names during the time of the National Socialism.

The Agreement contains internationally binding principles for the protection of national minorities. It prohibits every discrimination and contains the commitment for all parties to the contract to protect the rights of freedom.