No Children or Heirs: Where Did the German Billionaire's 42.2 Billion Euros Go After His Death?
The estate of German billionaire Klaus-Michael Kühne was transferred after his death to a charitable foundation that he established with his parents about 50 years ago. Since the businessman had no children, his fortune—estimated at 42.2 billion euros—was not inherited by any relatives; it went entirely to the Kühne Foundation.
Kühne, who died on August 24, 2026, at the age of 89, was long considered the richest person in Germany. The cornerstone of his business empire is the logistics company Kühne+Nagel, as well as stakes in the transportation giants Hapag-Lloyd and Lufthansa.
The billionaire lived in the Swiss canton of Schwyz, where there is no inheritance tax. After the transfer of assets, the foundation immediately became one of the wealthiest charitable organizations in Europe.
The Kühne Foundation already has about 20 subsidiaries and approximately 800 employees. Its funds are directed, in particular, toward logistics education, medicine, climate and humanitarian projects, as well as culture.
This was reported by euronews.
As a reminder, more than 13 million people in Germany live on the brink of poverty — DW.
It’s worth noting that “extreme poverty” in the UK has reached a 30-year high.
Additionally, the wealth of billionaires in 2025 rose to the highest level in history.
