Klaus-Michael Kühne recently passed away, leaving a fortune of 42.2 billion euros. The German tycoon, who had no children, lived in the Swiss canton of Schwyz, known for not charging inheritance tax. His death allowed the full transfer of his estate to a charitable foundation, without any inheritance tax being paid.
With this amount, the foundation became one of the richest in Europe. Kühne Holding, which held stakes in companies such as Kuehne+Nagel, Lufthansa, and Hapag-Lloyd, was the basis of this enormous wealth accumulated over decades.
The choice of residing in Switzerland was decisive in avoiding the payment of inheritance taxes in Germany, where such taxes can reach up to 50 percent. This tax strategy, completely legal, allowed the preservation of the entire estate for the foundation.
Kühne was considered Germany's richest man. Throughout his life, he expressed interest in dedicating his wealth to charitable causes, having supported various health and scientific research institutions. His death now marks the fulfillment of this intention through the foundation.
