Marlene Engelhorn

Marlene Engelhorn
Marlene Engelhorn at Re:publica in 2023
Born1992
Vienna, Austria
NationalityGerman
Austrian
EducationUniversity of Vienna (BA)
Occupations
  • Activist
  • philanthropist
Known forAdvocacy for inheritance tax policies and gay rights
Notable workGeld
AwardsHuman Act Award (2022)

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]

A descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn from the family who founded the chemical industry concern BASF, and granddaughter of Peter Engelhorn [de], Engelhorn inherited a considerable fortune from her grandmother, Traudl Engelhorn-Vechiatto [de], 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.

  1. ^ ""Das Rich Kid, das die Klappe aufreißt"". Forbes (in German). 11 November 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Chastand, Jean-Baptiste (10 November 2022). "Marlene Engelhorn, the Austrian multi-millionaire who wants her fortune taxed". Le Monde. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. ^ Bubola, Emma (21 October 2022). "She's Inheriting Millions. She Wants Her Wealth Taxed Away". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "K-Word #403: Neues aus der Lesbenwelt". www.l-mag.de. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  5. ^ Neate, Rupert (22 May 2022). "Millionaires join Davos protests, demanding 'tax us now'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Bell, Bethany (10 January 2024). "Austrian heiress Marlene Engelhorn announces plan for €25m giveaway". BBC News. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Marlene Engelhorn". Millionaires for Humanity. Retrieved 24 January 2024.