Germany Land and Property: Difference between revisions

Erbkauf, Lehnschein, Verschreibung, Verzicht, Geradekauf, Pachtcontract, Hypotheken are all legal documents registered with the lower court. Our ancestors were able to buy and sell the right to cultivate land.  They did not own it, they only had a right of use. The landowner (manor lord) remained the owner and was in charge of all the major developments and decisions pertaining to the ground. The right of use was inheritable or could be sold, usually to a relative (the oldest or youngest son or a son in law). The proceedings were recorded in Erbkaufverträge (sales). When a father/mother was ready to retire, he/she would either give the child the farm or sell it to him (daughters usually were paid off). In such sales were also build-in stipulations of how the conditions of the retirement of the outgoing farmer should be handled. <br>Other records pertaining to the land are “Lehnscheine” (deeds), “Verschreibungen” (bonds), “Verzicht” (waiver), “Hypotheken” (mortgages). A “Pachtcontract” was issued when ancestors leased a piece of property (a house). A “Geradekauf” is a record of female possessions either brought into or acquired during marriage and then being sold, given away or bequeathed to her family. Erbkaufverträge and Geradekäufe would yield information pertinent to family research, since names, dates and places are included in such records.  

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