After the death of an American woman
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Cologne Zoo inherits 26 million US dollars
Cologne A native of Cologne from the USA left the Cologne Zoo a legacy of millions. The money will be used for animal husbandry.
An American left the Cologne Zoo an inheritance of around 26 million US dollars. The millionaire Elizabeth Reichert, who was born in Cologne, died in mid-February 2022 and considered the zoo in her inheritance. This was announced by the zoo.
However, the Cologne Zoo does not receive the sum as a one-off payment. Instead, it is the backbone of a foundation from which the zoo now receives a dividend payout each year. The first payout of $700,000 has now been received. At the request of the testator, the money should flow exclusively into the further development of the zoo’s animal husbandry.
Depending on the development of the capital markets, the annual dividend payment is likely to increase to between EUR 1 and 1.5 million in the coming years. According to the zoo, the difference between the first and the expected future income is due to the fact that a significant part of the assets could only be brought into the foundation during the year after Ms. Reichert’s death.
After the Second World War, Elizabeth Reichert emigrated to the USA together with her husband Arnulf (1924 to 1998). They only survived the war in Germany thanks to the help of courageous people from Cologne, who offered hiding places to the Jew Arnulf Reichert.
In the United States, Arnulf and Elizabeth Reichert built up a pet wholesale business. The childless couple considered Cologne Zoo because of their gratitude to Cologne and their love for animals, according to the zoo’s press office. They also chose the Cologne Zoo because they want to benefit as many people in the Rhineland as possible with the heritage in the long term. The zoo has around a million visitors a year.
