Marlene Engelhorn, German-Austrian heiress to millions, has taken a bold step that has not only attracted attention but also sparked a profound discussion about wealth, responsibility and social justice. Engelhorn plans to return a significant portion of her inheritance (around 25 million euros) to the community - a gesture that is both admirable and exemplary. But what drives a person to take such a path, and how does this fit into the wider context of the debate about wealth redistribution in society? In this blog article you will find the exciting answers to all these questions.
German entrepreneur and philanthropist Marlene Engelhorn plans to return 90% of her inheritance, which amounts to 27 million euros, to the general public. An independent committee is to decide on this.
Engelhorn wants to distribute her wealth in this way in order to have a positive impact on society and combat social inequality. In doing so, she rules out conditions that would use the money for unconstitutional, anti-life, inhumane and profit-oriented purposes. But first, let's take a step back! Who is Marlene Engelhorn anyway and why does she have a fortune of 27 million euros?
Marlene Engelhorn has made a name for herself through her commitment to charitable causes and her willingness to donate a significant portion of her wealth to society. Her wealth, mainly due to her position as heiress to part of the BASF fortune, links her directly to Friedrich Engelhorn, the founder of the chemical company BASF. The majority of her fortune was significantly increased by the inheritance of her grandmother, Gertraud "Traudl" Engelhorn-Vechiatto, who died in 2022 at the age of 94.
Why doesn't Marlene Engelhorn just donate the money?
The young philanthropist decided not to donate the money because she criticizes the unequal distribution of wealth in Austria and, as a wealthy person, advocates redistribution. She believes that it is not enough to simply make donations, but that structural changes are needed to combat inequality. For this reason, she is committed to ensuring that wealthy individuals like herself make part of their wealth available for redistribution. Another reason is that she feels burdened and restricted by her own wealth. The young philanthropist believes that the super-rich like her must make a greater contribution to solving social problems.
Engelhorn wants her campaign to be democratic, transparent and public in order to involve people in the decision-making process and to ensure trust and credibility. It believes that transparency and public involvement can help to ensure that the redistribution measures are implemented fairly and effectively. The committee, known as the Guter Rat für Rückverteilung (eng. Good Council for Redistribution), is intended to put Engelhorn's idea into practice. The committee consists of 50 randomly selected people who represent the Austrian population. The committee will meet on six weekends and decide on the distribution of the money with the help of experts, according to the project's website. Marlene Engelhorn is determined to make a sustainable contribution to society and achieve her philanthropic goals by redistributing her assets.
Engelhorn is not a typical heiress. Her decision to donate a large part of her fortune to charity speaks volumes about her commitment to social justice and environmental protection. With her action, she has sent a clear signal: that wealth is not just a personal resource, but also a social responsibility. The vision behind Engelhorn's philanthropy is simple yet revolutionary. She wants her wealth to have a lasting impact. Her message is clear: wealth should serve as a means to an end to bring about positive change in the world.
Stories like Marlene Engelhorn's offer a fresh perspective and a source of inspiration. They show that it is possible to use wealth in a way that benefits not just the individual, but society as a whole. She is not alone in her convictions. Initiatives such as "Millionairs for Humanity" and "taxmenow" are also campaigning for a fairer distribution of wealth and greater taxation of the super-rich. These movements recognize that wealth plays an important role in society and that those who benefit most from it should also make a greater contribution. The debate around taxing the rich and using this money for public goods is complex and multi-layered.
Taxmenow is an initiative that campaigns for comprehensive tax reform in Germany. The organization aims to introduce a wealth tax in Germany in order to achieve a fairer distribution of the tax burden. Marlene Engelhorn plays a key role in the initiative. Her commitment to the initiative stems from her conviction that a fairer tax policy can help to reduce social inequality and strengthen public finances. Through her involvement in taxmenow, Marlene Engelhorn wants to help raise awareness of the need for tax reform and drive forward the public debate on the subject.
The demands of taxmenow include
"Millionairs for Humanity" is an organization of wealthy individuals who campaign for a fairer distribution of wealth and social justice. Its main goal is to increase taxation on rich people to reduce income inequality and help fund measures to combat the coronavirus crisis, poverty, climate change and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The group is committed to ensuring that wealthy individuals contribute a fair share to tackling global challenges in order to create a sustainable and fairer world. By introducing higher tax levies (even figures, if they exist) for the wealthy, they want to ensure that those least affected by the financial crisis play their part in economic recovery and humanitarian aid. "Millionaires for Humanity strives to harness the financial resources of millionaires and billionaires to make a positive change in the world and support disadvantaged communities.
Engelhorn's unconventional approach to wealth and her philanthropic ambitions shed new light on the debate around taxes and social justice. In Germany and Austria, as in many parts of the world, tax systems are often a bone of contention, especially when it comes to taxing the wealthy. In particular, the fact that the richest 10 percent of the population in Germany own over 60 percent of total wealth underlines the need for a discussion about wealth inequality.
In Germany, it is possible to tax people with very high incomes and assets even without a wealth tax. For example, the top tax rate is 42 percent for annual taxable incomes of around EUR 62,000 - 270,000. Anyone with a taxable income of more than 277,826 euros must pay the maximum tax rate of 45%. These tax rates are attempts to achieve progressive taxation, in which the tax rate increases as income rises. However, Engelhorn and many others argue that these measures are not enough to tackle growing social and economic inequalities. It is also interesting to note that the top tax rate in Germany has only been lowered since the 1980s and never increased.
Marlene Engelhorn's decision to give back her inheritance and let others decide how it is distributed is more than a philanthropic gesture; it is a call to action. It reminds us that social responsibility and justice are not just issues for politicians and economists, but that each and every one of us has a role to play. By sharing her wealth, Engelhorn sends a strong signal that change starts with the individual. Her actions challenge us to recognize our own privileges and rethink how we can use them for the good of society. It is about building bridges instead of walls, and working together for a fairer world in which prosperity and opportunities are fairly distributed. Engelhorn's move is therefore an inspiration for us all to think beyond our own horizons and actively contribute to improving social conditions.
Marlene Engelhorn, German-Austrian heiress to millions, has taken a bold step that has not only attracted attention, but has also sparked a far-reaching discussion about wealth, responsibility and social justice. Engelhorn plans to return a significant portion of her inheritance (around 25 million euros) to the community - a gesture that is both admirable and exemplary. But what drives a person to take such a path, and how does this fit into the wider context of the debate about wealth redistribution in society? In this blog article you will find the exciting answers to all these questions.