Marlene Engelhorn (born 1992, Vienna)[1][2] is an Austrian and German[2] activist and heiress known for advocating the reform of inheritance tax policies.[3][4][5][6]
Marlene Engelhorn | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Marlene Engelhorn at Re:publica in 2023 | |
| Born | 1992 Vienna, Austria |
| Nationality | German Austrian |
| Education | University of Vienna (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Advocacy for inheritance tax policies and gay rights |
| Notable work | Geld |
| Awards | Human Act Award (2022) |
A descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn from the family who founded the chemical industry concern BASF, and granddaughter of Peter Engelhorn, Engelhorn inherited a considerable fortune from her grandmother, Traudl Engelhorn-Vechiatto, whose wealth was estimated at $4.2bn (€3.8bn).[7] She gained media attention after saying in an interview that she was in favour of wealth tax and willing to be taxed at 90% on her inheritance[2] or to donate 90% of her wealth.[8] In 2024, she did the latter.
Engelhorn is also the founder of Tax me now, a German initiative lobbying for higher taxes on the wealthy.
Early life and education
editA descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn from the family who founded the chemical industry concern BASF, and granddaughter of Peter Engelhorn and Traudl Engelhorn-Vechiatto, Marlene Engelhorn was born in Vienna in 1992. Like many from the local bourgeoisie, she studied in the Lycée Français de Vienne.[2]
She studied German language and literature at the University of Vienna, but did not obtain a degree.[9] She would like to work as proofreader for a publishing company.[2]
Awareness and tax activism
editShe mentioned she became aware of her wealth situation at the university, when she was in contact with ″normal″ people.[2]
In 2021, she discovered she was going to inherit directly from her grandmother, Traudl Engelhorn-Vechiatto, whose wealth was estimated at $4.2bn (€3.8bn).[7] Marlene Engelhorn claimed she wanted the Austrian state to tax her at 90%, as this inheritage seemed "unfair" to her because she had not worked for it. However, there is no tax on inheritance in Austria.[2][6]
She founded the group Tax me now in Germany in 2021 to lobby for higher taxes on the wealthy.[10] In 2024, more than 250 people, including Abigail Disney, heiress from Disney family, Brian Cox, from HBO series Succession, and Valerie Rockefeller, had joined her in this initiative.[11] They sent a letter to Davos Forum to ask for more taxes to millionaires.[11]
Engelhorn's grandmother died in September 2022, and Engelhorn inherited around €25 million.[2][12] Engelhorn claimed she would donate 90% of it.[12] She then created a Council for Redistribution: after sending 10000 letters to Austrian citizens, 50 of them were selected to propose ideas which will benefit society in order to use Engelhorn's fortune.[7] [6][13] Work sessions were organized between March and June 2024 in Salzburg.[7][6] Engelhorn did not have any decision power on the conclusion of the debates.[6] In the end, €25M were redistributed to nearly 80 organizations, including €50000 to Wikipedia.[14]
Recognition
editIn 2022, the Human Act Award was awarded to Engelhorn for her advocacy of and her work towards wealth taxes in German-speaking Europe.[15]
Publications
edit- Engelhorn, Marlene (2022). Geld. Übermorgen. Wien: Verlag Kremayr & Scheriau GmbH & Co.KG. ISBN 978-3-218-01327-7.
References
edit- ^ ""Das Rich Kid, das die Klappe aufreißt"". Forbes (in German). 11 November 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Chastand, Jean-Baptiste (10 November 2022). "Marlene Engelhorn, the Austrian multi-millionaire who wants her fortune taxed". Le Monde. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ Bubola, Emma (21 October 2022). "She's Inheriting Millions. She Wants Her Wealth Taxed Away". The New York Times.
- ^ "K-Word #403: Neues aus der Lesbenwelt". www.l-mag.de. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Neate, Rupert (22 May 2022). "Millionaires join Davos protests, demanding 'tax us now'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Charpentier, Denisse (18 January 2024). "Millonaria austriaca donará gran parte de su fortuna para dar una lección: "No quiero ser tan rica"". BioBioChile – La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d Bell, Bethany (10 January 2024). "Austrian heiress Marlene Engelhorn announces plan for €25m giveaway". BBC News. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Marlene Engelhorn". Millionaires for Humanity. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Z2X – Das Festival neuer Visionärinnen und Visionäre". Z2X – Das Festival neuer Visionärinnen und Visionäre (in German). Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "The millionaires calling for higher taxes: 'I'm rich, tax me!'". Le Monde.fr. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b Rosety, Luis Colom (20 January 2024). "Así es Marlene Engelhorn, la empresaria millonaria que pide más impuestos a los ricos en Davos". Forbes España (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b "L'héritière autrichienne qui voulait redistribuer sa fortune: «devenir multimillionnaire, c'était un hasard» – Le Temps" (in French). 31 January 2024. ISSN 1423-3967. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ "Autriche. Marlene Engelhorn, la riche héritière qui veut laisser ses compatriotes dépenser son argent". Courrier international (in French). 17 January 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ Yaffa, Joshua (2 September 2024). "How to Give Away a Fortune". The New Yorker. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
- ^ "Human Act Award 2022". humanact.org. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.