Chapter 3. Property of Former Associations of Employers and Employees

Article 24

1. The property administration of the DAF [German labor front], Ltd., Berlin (hereafter called "property administration of the German labor front") as trustee of the German labor front, will be put in possession of the former associations of employers and employees including the auxiliary and replacement organizations, property administrations, pension disbursing agencies and other special properties, upon entrance into effect of this law.

2. In the case that only former associations of employers and employees have interests in a legal personality, the property administration of the German labor front will be put in possession of both the shares of property of the former associations of employees and employers and the property of the legal personality. However, if the legal personality represents a corporation, a limited liability corporation, or company, the property administration of the German labor front will only be put in possession of the shares or business shares; the company continues its existence with rights and obligations. Sentence 2 is not effective if the exclusive purpose of the company was the administration of houses of labor unions or if a property administration or trustee company of a former association of employers and employees is involved, the property of which will be put in possession of the property administration of the German labor front as provided in (1). The property administration of the German labor front (DAF) will in these cases take possession of both the shares and business shares, and also of the property of the company.

3. Inasmuch as the property of a former association of employers and employees has already been disposed of through an orderly liquidation or agreement, it will be left as it is. Pending liquidations and settlements will not be continued.

4. The Reich Minister of the Interior will announce, in agreement with the Deputy of the Fuehrer, the Reich Minister of Economy and the Reich Minister for Labor, the owners of property, possession of which has been transferred to the property administration of the German labor front according to (1), (2) first sentence and (2) third sentence. These regulations will be announced in the Deutscher Reichsanzeiger and Preussischer Staatsanzeiger (official publications) until the 30 June 1938. They are binding for courts and administrative authorities.

5. The owners of property to be made public as provided in (4), are, inasmuch as they represent legal personalities or collective personalities, dissolved with the effectiveness of this law. A liquidation does not take place.

6. The leader of the German labor front Dr. Ley will be the guardian entitled to dispose of the properties confiscated by the general public prosecutor of the Country Court I Berlin from the time of confiscation of the properties up to the effectiveness of this law and will be verified with the authority to take action compatible with the purpose of the sequestration and according to his judgment conformable to duty; in particular to give and receive declarations of will for the owners of the confiscated property.

Article 25

1. The German labor front and the property administration are responsible for claims against those owners of property, which has been transferred to the latter, only in the case, if the claims arose after a day which the Reich Minister of the Interior will determine in cooperation with the Deputy of the Fuehrer, the Reich Minister of Economy and the Reich Minister for Labor at the announcement of the owners of property (Article 24(4)).

2. The German labor front and the property administration of the German labor front are responsible for claims resulting from service or work status with the owners of property mentioned in Article 24 or the German labor front only, if the service or work status has been extended by the German labor front beyond the 30 Sept 1933.

Article 26

1. Rights on objects, which the property administration of the German labor front acquires according to Article 24, are expiring. The same applies to property rights secured in such objects.

2. Section (1) will not be applied, if the objects have been already liquidated at the effectiveness of this law or if the rights or the secured property have been established after the day to be determined according to Article 25 (1).

Article 27

If the victim suffered a loss in property on account of the regulations of Articles 25 and 26, he can be granted an indemnification from the funds of the German labor front and the property administration of the German labor front.

Article 28

The regulations of Articles 5 to 17 will be applied on the basis of Articles 29 and 30 respectively.

Article 29

The petition to grant an indemnification has to be made in writing by 30 Sept 38 to the determining authority (Article 30) by stating the cause of the offense.

Article 30

1. The determining authority of the Reich will decide on the motion (Article 16). The chambers will judge the case in a composition of three members including the chairman of whom one member will be suggested by the Deputy of the Fuehrer, another one by the Reich Minister of Economy in conjunction with the Reich Minister for Labor. The chairman and the members will be appointed by the Reich Minister of the Interior.

2. Before the decision a representative to be named by the German labor front has to be heard.

Article 31

Inasmuch as economic associations of employers and their institutions have been incorporated or joined or dissolved within the framework of the legislation on the preliminary erection of the Reich food estate, the regulations of this part will not be applied.