Dieter Schwarz
Dieter Schwarz (born 24 September 1939 in Heilbronn ) is a German entrepreneur and owner of the Black group, which includes, among other things, Kaufland and Lidl.
Life
After graduating from high school Dieter Schwarz resigned as general partner in the company of his father, Josef Schwarz, Lidl & Schwarz KG, a. In 1973 he opened his first discount store market in Ludwigshafen in the oral Strasse. Because, for legal reasons, was unable to accept readily the name of Lidl, the father's company contributed and to avoid puns ( " black market " ), he secured from legally by he bought from a retired vocational school teacher Ludwig Lidl for DM 1000 the naming rights.
When Joseph Black in 1977 died at the age of 74 years, took over Dieter Schwarz, who had led the family business for several years on his father's side, the company. At this time he already had a network of 30 branches. By 1978 Black tested various store types. Then the final design of the Lidl discounter went into production. The activities were in the range of discount grocery stores ( small areas ) under the name Lidl as well as in the area of hypermarkets and supermarkets ( large areas ) such as buying land, buying market, Concord and Handelshof divided. After expansion Lidl in Germany began in 1988, the international expansion with the market entry Lidl in France. 1992 was followed by Italy and the United Kingdom in 1996. Today Lidl stores exist in almost all European countries.
With the withdrawal of the company's management in 1999, Dieter Schwarz transferred his share of tax saving on the non-profit Dieter Schwarz Foundation gGmbH, the purpose of which is, among others, the promotion of science and research, art and culture. Was awarded honorary citizenship of the city of Heilbronn Dieter Schwarz as " generous patron and universally esteemed fellow citizens ," patron of the arts, culture, education and universities and Donors On February 1, 2007. He is also since 2002 supporting the Medal of Merit of the State of Baden -Wuerttemberg.
The assets of Dieter Schwarz is estimated in 2012 to 12 billion euros in 2013 to 19.6 billion euros. He is thus in 2nd place of the richest Germans or space 24 of the richest people in the world. Nevertheless, he is considered to be frugal and cautious.
Personal
Dieter Schwarz since 1963 with Franziska, nee Weipert married. The couple has two adult daughters black. Dieter Schwarz is a member of an evangelical free church. He is regarded as reclusive, conceal their identity declines interviews. There are hardly any photos of him.