(1) Legal entities having their seat in Germany may be transformed
1. by way of a merger;
2. by way of a division (full division, partial division, division by separation);
3. by way of an asset transfer;
4. by way of a change of legal form.
(2) A transformation in the sense of subsection (1) will be possible, in cases besides those governed by the present Act, only if it has been expressly provided for by a different federal law or Land law.
(3) Any deviations from the stipulations of the present Act must have been expressly declared permissible herein. Supplementary determinations made in contracts, by-laws, or declarations of intent are permissible unless the present Act has provided conclusively for the matter.