ZF Friedrichshafen: Zeppelin Heir Albrecht Von Brandenstein-Zeppelin Renews Legal Fight Over 1947 Transfer

Albrecht von Brandenstein-Zeppelin, great-grandson of Ferdinand von Zeppelin, has spent decades seeking to reclaim family control of automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen and MTU Friedrichshafen following a 1947 transfer of the companies' assets to the city of Friedrichshafen.

ZF Friedrichshafen is a global automotive supplier best known for producing transmissions used by BMW, Dodge, Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover and Alfa Romeo, while MTU Friedrichshafen is now part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

Manager Magazin reports that the provisional Württemberg state government and French occupation authorities dissolved the Zeppelin foundation in 1947 and transferred its ZF stake to the city; Brandenstein-Zeppelin has pursued legal claims since the early 1980s, taking ten cases to court since 2015 and spending an estimated €5–6 million on legal fees while his personal fortune is estimated at about €250 million.

This article is based on reporting from The Autopian.

Read the full article at The Autopian.

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