Erik has his adoption annulled to become the son of his real mother

Erik Staal (59) has recently been called Redering again: the surname he was given by his biological mother. Erik was adopted as a child via the transition home Moederheil in Breda. And that adoption was annulled by the judge last week. That is quite unique at his age: it only happens once a year. Still, Erik had no choice: "It is a bizarre situation that you can be an orphan in the eyes of the law but still sit next to your mother."

Erik's mother José de Vos (75) gave her son Erik up for adoption in the 1960s at the Moederheil maternity clinic. She did so under great pressure, but that happened more often in those days. José was not married and an unmarried woman who had a child was a disgrace to the entire family.

At a later age, Erik was 46, he went looking for his mother. When children get to know their biological parent at a later age, the contact is sometimes difficult and distant. There is too little in common. But with Erik and José it went more than well. They feel a deep bond with each other and see each other every Thursday.

“Why didn't I do it sooner?”

For years Erik had been thinking about undoing his adoption. He had no good contact with his adoptive parents and they have since passed away. So Erik went to court, with José at his side.

Canceling the adoption is normally only possible between the ages of 20 and 23. So Erik had some explaining to do: “That was emotional for me. Because why didn’t I do it sooner? But then I had other things on my mind. And the judge understood that.”

The judge also asked what it does to Erik: “I told her: I am an orphan according to the law, but I am sitting here next to my mother. And I cannot logically straighten that out in my head.”

“I said: look at Erik. That says so much.”

Telling this to the judge was very emotional for Erik: “It touched me so deeply.” Mother José adds: “I could see it on his face. He was closer to crying than laughing. The judge also asked me questions, but then I said: look at Erik, that says so much. Because he was so emotional.”

In the Netherlands, it is estimated that between 15,000 and 25,000 children were given up for domestic adoption in the last century. This was done via so-called transition homes and Moederheil in Breda was the largest in the south of the Netherlands. Many babies were taken away from their mothers immediately, but José had Erik with him for the first months of his life.

So she also gave him his first name. And the last name was his mother's maiden name: Redering. "Parents give their child a name very consciously," says Erik. "And if that all goes normally for you, you find it very natural. But with me, that has all changed. And now that is being reversed bit by bit."

"I can't do anything with it yet."

Because fortunately the judge decided immediately. But the administrative hassle may take a few more months. “Only then can I use it in public. I ordered new running shoes a few days ago and just wrote 'Erik Redering' on them. But I had to identify myself when I picked up the package and that was not possible because it still says 'Staal'. So I can't do anything with it for a while. Except be very happy and hold my mother.”

Erik and José will be live guests on Sunday at 12:00 on the TV program KRAAK. by Omroep Brabant. KRAAK. will be repeated afterwards. The program can also be viewed again via Brabant+.