“Fahrmeir’s lucid and valuable study thus establishes not only that German conceptions and systems of citizenship predate the victory of German nationalist (and nativist) thought, but also that, despite the greater liberality of the British system in most respects, the German regime had many attributes more liberal than the British…Fahrmeir strikes a telling and persuasive blow for the “modernit” account of nationalism against the “primordialists.”."  ·  Central European History "... [a] truly comparative ... lucid and valuable study ... By virtue of his scrupulous and searching exploration of the 'in-between' era in which citizenship regimes emerged, Fahrmeir strikes a telling and persuasive blow to the 'modernist' account of nationalism against the 'primordialist'."  ·  Central European History "His pathbreaking book reflects a significant amount of original scholarly research, and clarifies a large number of previously poorly illuminated questions and relationships."  · H-German "[A] pioneering study ... As well as its empirical strengths, the book also demonstrates Fahrmeir's comfort in dealing with theory ... The rigor with which [he] tackles his subject deserves comment ... A genuine comparative history ... an extremely important monograph ... a major contribution to out understanding of the legal position of aliens in modern European history."  · American Historical Review "... concisely written ... excellently researched."  · Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung "Future students of issues [such as citizenship, naturalization, extradition etc] have in Fahrmeir's book a model of the even-handed approach required."   · The International History Review "Fahrmeir's carefully argued and detailed study ... should be read by anybody who is interested in the current debate on nationality and migration."  · H-NET Liste fuer Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte