Matriarch of Aldi founding family lashes out at her daughter-in-law’s lavish lifestyle in her will

The late wife of an Aldi founder has lashed out at her daughter-in-law’s lavish lifestyle and excluded her and her children from future business decisions in her will.

Cäcilie Albrecht, who was married to the discount supermarket chain’s co-founder Theo, died aged 92 in November last year.

In her will – which was made public over the weekend by German weekly Bild am Sonntag – the matriarch accused her late son’s five children and his widow, Babette, of not keeping with the firm’s frugal mindset.

 Cäcilie Albrecht (pictured right with her husband in the 1970s) accused her late son’s five children and his widow, Babette (left), of not keeping with the firm’s frugal mindset

Cäcilie claimed the family misused more than €100million (£85million) of company funds to support their grand lifestyles. 

Together with her husband and his brother Karl, Cäcilie turned a humble grocery store in the German city of Essen in 1946 into one of the country’s biggest successes following the Second World War.

Theo died in 2010 aged 88, soon to be followed by his brother Karl four years later.

In 1960, Aldi separated into two firms known as Aldi Nord and Süd, with both arms of the supermarket operating in different countries internationally.

The Nord company – which covers France, Spain, and Holland notably – is managed by the Markus foundation, of which Cäcilie sat on the board, and two smaller institutions, Lukas (run by Cäcilie’s son, Theo) and Jakobus.

In her will, Cäcilie claims her daughter-in-law and her five adult children have maintained their wealthy lifestyle by taking millions from the Jakobus foundation – which was operated by Babette Albrecht’s husband Berthold until his death in 2012.

Babette can often be seen going against the family’s traditionally quiet existence – taking part in a Germany Dancing show, and appearing at society events such as Vienna’s Operball and Oktoberfest (pictured in 2016)

As such, the grandmother declared in her will – which was first heard in an Essen court in February – that Babette and her offspring should have no future role in the company.

‘With this document I undertake to ensure the preservation of the philosophy of our family, which is to serve the consortium Aldi Nord and to foster this, at the same time as setting aside self-interests and practising a modest and abstemious way of life,’ the will read.

Babette at a fashion party in January 2017 in Düsseldorf

Cäcilie also noted that her worries were shared by her son about his wife and children. 

She declared: ‘Berthold himself said when he was alive that he had considerable doubts as to the suitability of his children to respect the life’s work of my husband who, with my support, built the consortium Aldi Nord, and to serve it with respect and with responsibility towards its thousands of employees.’  

The family denies any wrongdoing. 

Andreas Urban, the lawyer of Babette Albrecht and her adult children, told The Guardian: ‘The heirs of Berthold Albrecht have always been concerned since the death of their father, more than six years ago, for the welfare of Aldi Nord. 

‘This can be deduced in particular from the considerable financial means which have flowed into the company from the Jakobus foundation as well as from the support for important corporate projects. 

‘The heirs of Berthold Albrecht therefore need not reproach themselves in any way.’ 

Babette can often be seen going against the family’s traditionally quiet existence – taking part in a Germany Dancing show, and appearing at society events such as Vienna’s Operball.

The family’s hermit-like lifestyle followed the 1971 kidnapping of Cäcilie’s husband, Theo, who was only freed after ransom money was paid.