Bechtel

The appellant Bechtel was born in Germany in 1900, served as a private in the German army during World War I, left Germany when 20 years old and spent 5 years in Sweden, then, in 1925 migrated to the United States and ultimately made his home at Oakland, California. In 1927 he filed his declaration to become a citizen. He was granted citizenship by judgment of the Superior Court of Alemeda County, California on February 23, 1934. .

These denaturalization proceedings were filed against him on December 22, 1942, in the court below, under the authoriy of section 338 of the Nationality Act of 1940, 8 U.S.C.A. § 738 , charging that his naturalization was procured illegally and by fraud in that he was not, as he represented. a person attached to the principles of the Constitution and well'disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States, that he did not truly intend to become a permanent citizen oí the United States, and that his oath of allegiance then taken was false in that he did.not absolutely and entirely renounce and adjure all allegiance, to any foreign state of sovereign, but retained allegiance to Germany and did not intend to bear true faith and allegiance to…