Woman in Germany leaves $7.5 million to neighbours

Residents of a community in central Germany received the biggest (in terms of price) gift of their lives. They unexpectedly inherited property and a stock portfolio worth €6.2 million ($7.5 million).

This property belonged to an elderly neighbour.

Renate Wedel had lived in Hesse, central Germany, with her husband, Alfred Wedel, since 1975. Alfred died in 2014, and Renate died in December 2019 at the age of 81.

Renate had bequeathed a bank balance, shares and valuables, and her sister, who was her original heir, had already died.

The municipality also inherited a property in Weiperfelden, which was initially left as a legacy, but was declined by the initial inheritor because of the cost of maintaining the house and outbuildings and because residents' contributions were due for work on a local road.

The community is obliged to use the inheritance, valued at €6.2 million, for "community facilities and infrastructure."