Karl Hans Albrecht
The German born entrepreneur Karl Hans Albrecht was born on the Feb. 20, 1920. He and his brother Theo Albrecht are known for founding the discount supermarket chain Aldi.
Karl Hans Albrecht is noted as the wealthiest man in Germany, as well as for being one of the richest men in the world. According to Forbes magazine, his estimated net worth for 2009 is $21.5 billion.
Karl Albrecht and his brother came from humble beginnings. They were raised in Essen by a miner and a small grocery store owner. Later on, their miner father was eventually hired as a baker’s assistant while their mother continued to run her small grocery store, which was located at the worker’s quarter in Schonnebeck.
In order to help their parents, Karl Albrecht started working in a delicatessen shop while his brother Theo worked his way to complete an apprenticeship at their mother’s small grocery store. However, Karl Albrecht stopped working during the World War II in order to enlist himself in the German Army.
After the war, Karl Albrecht and his brother took over their mother’s small grocery business. In 1961, they opened the first Aldi Store. Short for “Albrecht-Discount,” the Aldi Store’s operations were soon divided between Karl and his brother. Karl Albrecht was in charge of taking care of the Aldi Süd (south) while Theo Albrecht was in charge of managing the Aldi Nord (North).
At present, Karl Albrecht and his brother live in Essen, Germany. According to Forbes Magazine, the German entrepreneur is married and has two children. As for his personal interests, Karl Albrecht is a fan of golf. In fact, he built his own golf course named the Öschberghof in 1976. Aside from golf, Karl Albrecht also raises orchids and is reported to be a collector of antique typewriters.