If they were born in America, they would be American citizens, right? Maybe we have it wrong, and the Germans are right on this.
> If these troublesome dudes were born in Germany, then why are they not German citizens? <
Many nations, Germany included, do not confer automatic citizenship based on just being born there. From Wikipedia:
one usually acquires German citizenship if a parent is a German citizen, irrespective of place of birth, or by birth in Germany to parents with foreign nationality if certain requirements are fulfilled. Naturalisation is also possible for foreign nationals after six to eight years of legal residence in Germany
German citizenship follows “bloodlines” only.
Exception is that one can become a German citizen if one shows more than 12 years of being connected to Germany. This is a exception which is rather difficult to obtain.
We have it wrong.