Renunciation deed of undivided shares by non-Jewish co-owners. Collection

Under the occupation, the Nazi regime imposed strict anti-Jewish regulations, affecting various aspects of public and private life, including property ownership and economic rights. From 1940 onwards, the German administration enacted numerous decrees aimed at marginalizing, dispossessing, and restricting the rights of Jewish residents, including prohibitions on property transactions involving Jewish individuals without explicit state authorization. These laws often forced Jewish property owners to relinquish assets, either through forced sales or outright confiscation, and required that documents, especially notarial deeds, clearly state the Jewish or non-Jewish status of all parties involved. The requirement for such declarations underscores the oppressive regulatory landscape under which notaries, property owners, and financial parties had to operate, navigating increasingly restrictive and discriminatory laws. Contact Kazerne Dossin Research Centre: archives@kazernedossin.eu This collection contains a notarial renunciation deed of undivided shares, dated 9 February 1943, in a co-owned property at 4 Van Hersteenstraat, Borgerhout (Antwerp), by non-Jewish co-owners Franciscus J.M. De Ridder and Andreas F.M. De Ridder. The deed includes an assumption of debt in favor of Eduard Goevaerts and Joseph Lemmens, both residing in Schelle. In the conclusion of the document it is explicitly stated that neither of the involved parties are subject to the regulation on Jews. This statement was a legal safeguard, ensuring compliance with occupation policies and protecting the transaction from later invalidation or confiscation due to the involvement of Jewish individuals.