Ordinance, issued by William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, for the Graviate of Hanau [Present-day Germany]: “IV. Jews shall not lend any goods or money to children, minors, adults under their father’s care and without their own household, employment or trade, servants who want to borrow on behalf of their masters, or the feeble-minded, without the consent of their respective parents, masters or guardians. V. Jews are prohibited to lend any money against Christian houses without the express permission by one of our courts. Any Jew who obtains such a permit shall not take more than five per hundred in interest. In cases of foreclosure, a Jewish creditor, his Jewish heirs and any other Jewish successors shall not be allowed to make any major alteration to the real estate thus obtained, but shall, within half a year after foreclosure, be obliged to sell the real property in question to the first Christian desiring to buy it, at the same price given in the foreclosure order.”
William VIII (Landgrave of Hesse). “Gnädigste Verordnung [Most Merciful Ordinance].” Lehr: Hanau, Germany, 1754. Max Lehmann Collection, 1754-1910 (AR 3168); Folder 1, Item 1; Leo Baeck Institute. Researched by Dominik Jacobs 1/19/2020