As of 2026, Germany is home to roughly 212 billionaires, the most in Europe. How many billionaires are in Germany, and who is the richest? The wealthiest is Dieter Schwarz, worth about $62.5 billion from the Schwarz Gruppe behind the Lidl and Kaufland chains. This guide profiles the nation's wealthiest and where they live.
Germany is home to many ultra-wealthy billionaires, spread across cities including Heilbronn, Hamburg, Munich, and Kuenzelsau. These billionaires come from a variety of industries, including Retail, Logistics, Technology, Automotive, and Manufacturing.
How many billionaires are in Germany?
As of 2026, Germany is home to roughly 212 billionaires, making it the country with the most billionaires in Europe and the fourth-most worldwide, after the United States, China, and India. The wealth is concentrated in retail, automotive, logistics, technology, and manufacturing fortunes, with major clusters in Munich, Hamburg, and the industrial regions of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Top 5 Billionaires in Germany 2026
Who has the highest net worth in Germany?
1. Dieter Schwarz
Dieter Schwarz, born in 1939, is a non self-made billionaire with a net worth of approximately $62.5 billion as of 2026, ranking him among the 30 wealthiest people in the world. His business operates in the Fashion & Retail industry, and his source of wealth is the Schwarz Gruppe, the retail group behind the Lidl and Kaufland chains. He resides in Heilbronn, Germany.
2. Klaus-Michael Kuehne
Klaus-Michael Kuehne, born in 1937, is a non self-made billionaire with a net worth of approximately $40 billion as of 2026. His wealth comes from his controlling stake in the logistics company Kuehne + Nagel, and he holds further interests in Hapag-Lloyd and Lufthansa. A Hamburg native, he has lived in Schindellegi, Switzerland, for decades.
3. Andreas von Bechtolsheim & family
Andreas von Bechtolsheim, born in 1955, is a self-made billionaire with a net worth of approximately $30 billion as of 2026. His source of wealth is in the Technology industry, primarily through his stake in the cloud-networking company Arista Networks, which he co-founded; he was also an early investor in Google and a co-founder of Sun Microsystems. A German citizen, he is based in Silicon Valley, California.
4. Reinhold Wuerth & family
Reinhold Wuerth, born in 1935, is a self-made billionaire with a net worth of approximately $27 billion as of 2026. He is primarily involved in the manufacturing industry, specifically fasteners and assembly products, through the Wuerth Group. He resides in Kuenzelsau, Germany.
5. Susanne Klatten
Susanne Klatten, born in 1962, is a non self-made billionaire with a net worth of approximately $25 billion as of 2026. Her business interests are in the automotive and pharmaceuticals industries, with her wealth coming primarily from her stake in BMW, along with holdings in Altana. She resides in the Munich area of Germany.
Sources:
Forbes Billionaires List 2026Bloomberg Billionaires Index
List of Germans by net worth (Wikipedia)
Last updated: June 19, 2026
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