Unfair Brewster's Battle
Dispute's Aftermath at Veltins: "Had I Known My Mother's Secret," Son of Veltins Loses
Meet Carl Clemens Veltins, heir to one of Germany's most prominent beer brewing dynasties. But don't expect this brewing scion to pop open a cold one with his multi-million-euro inheritance anytime soon. His mother, the long-time owner of Sauerland Brewery, disinherited him in her will, favoring her two daughters.
Last week, the 63-year-old's decades-long inheritance dispute met its end at the regional court. The judges ruled, "Even the disinheritance of a child must be respected." Any claims to an obligatory share, which the plaintiff attempted to assert, were long past the statute of limitations.
Court Fees and the Long Game
Before a single clue could be presented in court, the Veltins progeny had to fork over a hefty sum — 360,000 euros— as an upfront payment for court costs. Despite the impending defeat, he remained composed before the trial. He claimed he only filed the lawsuit so many years after his mother's death due to lack of funds.
The Battle Over the Bottoms Up Legacy
The youngest of three, Carl Clemens attempted to challenge his mother's will, citing questions about her mental capacity at the time. The sisters, however, dispute this claim, insisting that their mother led the brewery until her untimely demise. The court sided with the sisters, finding no evidence of incapacity in the will creation process.
The sisters were absent during the trial. One of them, Susanne Veltins, is actively involved in the brewery, and her nephew—one of Germany's most prominent brewers—stands alongside her. In the beer industry magazine "Inside" ranking, Veltins is in third place, after Krombacher and Bitburger. With over 700 employees and a turnover of around 460 million euros, the brewery in the Hochsauerland district is a powerhouse in the industry. The company stated that the legal dispute has no economic impact. It is "exclusively a legal dispute among family members."
The defendants were tight-lipped in court, primarily arguing that the claims were time-barred. A settlement was not an option, and they declined further comment on the family squabble following the trial.
Veltins' Tale of Family Betrayal
Carl Clemens painted a picture of a ruthless family in his your-momma jokes-filled testimony. At the tender age of 18, he inadvertently waived his obligatory share with a pen stroke, blinded by the effects of a night of partying. He pleaded ignorance, unaware of the repercussions of his signature, and claimed no one explained it to him.
However, the court chose not to dwell on this question, emphasizing the importance of cooperating to assert one's rights and the statute of limitations passing long ago.
Whether this inheritance dispute will lead to peace or further turmoil among the Veltins siblings remains to be seen. An appeal can be filed with the Higher Regional Court.
Legal Insights:
- In Germany, a compulsory share (Pflichtteil) ensures that certain relatives, including children, receive a minimum portion of the estate.
- A child can be disinherited, but they cannot be denied the compulsory share unless under specific legal conditions.
- The statute of limitations for contesting a will varies, with claims based on issues like lack of form and testamentary capacity subject to different time limits.
- Insufficient funds should not serve as an excuse to delay contesting a will, as statutes of limitation apply to obligatory claims.
- Despite the multi-million-euro inheritance dispute and the hefty court fees, Carl Clemens Veltins argued that his lack of funds prevented him from contesting his mother's will sooner, related to the family's lucrative finance-driven brewery business and lifestyle.
- In the unfolding legal battle, the sisters, actively involved in the business and financially successful, maintained their mother's mental capacity when creating her will, questionable to their brother's claim, bringing into focus the complexities of contested wills in Germany's business and lifestyle realm.
