The Steinmeyer legacy
Help spend the Steinmeyer legacy
Comrie residents are being urged to come forward to air their views on how they think the Steinmeyer legacy should be spent.
News that former German POW Heinrich Steinmeyer has left his fortune to the elderly of the village went viral last week, attracting media interest from all over the world.
Heinrich was 19 years old when he was captured in France during WW2.
Comrie residents are being urged to come forward to air their views on how they think the Steinmeyer legacy should be spent.
News that former German POW Heinrich Steinmeyer has left his fortune to the elderly of the village went viral last week, attracting media interest from all over the world.
Heinrich was 19 years old when he was captured in France during the Second World War.
He was eventually taken to Cultybraggan POW camp where he made friends with the locals.
The friendships endured and Heinrich bequeathed his money to the elderly of the village, stipulating that it be managed by Comrie Development Trust.
The Herald first broke the news in 2008.
Close friend the late George Carson worked to see that Heinrich’s wishes were put into place.
Mr Steinmeyer always maintained he was lucky to be captured by the Scots
Part of his will reads: “Herewith, I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Scotland for the kindness and generosity that I have experienced in Scotland during my imprisonment of war and hereafter.”
Heinrich died in February 2013, a fortnight after the death of his good friend George.
A small group of locals, including George Carson Jnr, set up communications with German solicitors to ensure that the wishes of the will are fulfilled.
Executing the will and the sale of Heinrich’s property to realise funds for transfer to Scotland has been a lengthy and complex process and an amount of £384,000 has only recently been transferred to a special Heinrich Steinmeyer Legacy Fund.
The fund is to be used exclusively to provide for local developments for older people, suggested by older people.
The Trust is now asking locals to become part of the existing group, which will make the arrangements for consultation in the village about how the legacy should be used, and then oversee how the ring-fenced money is spent.
Andrew Reid, Comrie Development Trust secretary, is encouraging villagers to come forward to be represented on the Legacy Group, especially individuals and groups with a special interest or experience with the elderly or with long term connections to the village.
He said: “It’s proposed the group will probably meet for the first time towards the end of January. How the consultation takes place will be for the group to determine.
“Heinrich Steinmeyer wanted to express his deep gratitude for the way he was treated as a prisoner and for his time working in Scotland after the war.”
Mr Reid also praised George Carson for the “immense amount of work he has been putting in presenting the Steinmeyer story, and the part the ‘Comrie Welcome’ played, to the world – not just the media in Scotland but as far as phone interviews with radio shows in Australia and Canada.”
George’s mum, Mamie, was one of the original villagers to befriend Heinrich and instrumental in his infamous day out from the camp when Mamie and her friends smuggled him out under the fence to take him to the cinema.