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Besides the Stasi, Germans may be concerned about a hypothetical tyrannical government deciding to persecute an specific group of people, snatch them from their homes and send them to concentration camps.

(Yes, Godwin law. Yawn.)

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Thus it is all the more surprising that in present-day Germany one must register one's residential address and religion with the local government.

Note that religion is only relevant if it's one of those on whose behalf the government collects taxes - the two main and some smaller Christian churces, and the Jewish communities. If you religious affiliation is anything else, it will be stored as "other" or "no data".

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