Richest People in the World: # 6 Karl Albrecht

Germany’s richest person owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud.

Karl Hans Albrecht, Germany’s richest person and world number 6 richest men was born on 20 February 1920.He was grown up in the modest circumstances in Essen. His father was a miner and later was employed as a baker’s assistant. His mother had a small grocery store in the worker’s quarter of Schonnebeck. His brother “Theo” worked in his mother’s store, while Karl worked in a delicatessen shop. During World War II Karl served in the German Army. After the end of World War II, they took over their mother’s business in 1946. With younger brother Theo, Karl transformed their mother’s grocery store into discount supermarket chain Aldi (Albrecht-Discount). Aldi’s operations were later divided between the brothers in 1961, Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe.

Karl Albrecht has withdrawn himself from public life and maintained a selective circle for that a little is known about him. He is married and he has two children, neither of them is employed by Aldi. He is a fan of golf, and he built his personal golf course, the Öschberghof, in 1976 where he loves to play. He also raises orchids and collects antique typewriters.

In 1994, Karl Albrecht retard from Aldi Süd and took the position of chairman of the board. At the beginning of 2002, he also relinquished that position. Now, the business is no longer run by any of Karl Albrecht’s family members.

According to Forbrs Magazine Karl Albrecht is the wealthiest man in Germany and he is among the richest men in the world, with an estimated net worth of $21.5 billion in 2009.