What do the red underlines, and red X mean in German Commercial Register (Handelsregister) chronological extract?

When viewing the chronological version of a commercial register (CD) extract in Handelsregister, you may notice that certain passages are underlined in red or entire page can be marked with red X. These markings often raise questions—do they highlight important information? Do they require special attention? How North Data process these markings?

Here is what they actually mean:

What do red underlines indicate?

Red underlined passages in the commercial register extract do not highlight important or noteworthy content. Instead, they indicate deleted data (e.g. a company's managing director has been changed).

For transparency and traceability, this information is not removed, blurred, or crossed out. Instead, it remains fully readable so that historical changes can still be understood. This is particularly helpful when:

• reviewing previous entries,

• determining the exact periods during which individuals held roles such as managing director,

• or tracking changes to a company’s structure over time.

What does a Red “X” mean in a Handelsregister extract?

In some commercial register extracts, you may notice a large red “X” placed across the chronological extract (CD). This marking is used by the German Handelsregister to indicate that a company has been terminated. This is a visual way for the Handelsregister to highlight that the entry refers to a closed business. 

It is important to understand that a red “X” does not mean that the company has been deleted from the Handelsregister records. The Handelsregister does not erase historical entries.

North Data mirrors this approach by preserving prior versions and documenting the evolution of a company’s profile. However, instead of using the term “deleted,” we use “terminated,” as this better reflects the terminology applied when a company is formally closed.

How North Data processes red underlines, red X’s, as deletion markings?

North Data follows the same transparency principles used by the German commercial register when processing and displaying company information. This means that red underlines, red X’s, do not represent data deletion, but instead indicate that the company has filed updates and that previous entries are preserved for historical traceability.

North Data processes these indications in this way:

• We update the company profile to reflect the current, legally valid information.

• At the same time, we keep the chronological (CD) records unchanged, ensuring that historical data stays accessible and transparent.

• This is why users may still see older extracts or earlier versions of entries on North Data—these belong to the company’s official change history.