Dutchman chaces inheritance in Austria

An adopted Dutchman who flew to Austria to track down his real parents has launched a multi-million pound inheritance claim after discovering his real father was a wealthy local businessmen.

Under Austrian law, children are guaranteed a share of their parents wealth and it isn’t possible to disinherit them.

Ronald Nijman, 42, had been born illegitimately in 1970 in Feldkirch, Austria, and was handed over to a local monastery and then given up for adoption. He ended up living in Holland.

In 2008 he had decided to try and track down his real parents and discovered evidence that the wealthy millionaire from Dornbirn was his real father.

But the man’s real children – a son and daughter – who had already inherited his millions were not pleased with the suggestion that they had a sibling.

They accused him of being after their father’s money and when the Dutchman discovered he had an automatic right to share if he could prove he was related to the dead man – he launched a legal case.

The court has now ordered a DNA test to be carried out comparing the man’s DNA with his suspected relatives.

A lawyer for the man’s legitimate children had asked the court to throw it out, saying: “This case should not be allowed, otherwise anybody can simply turn up and claim to be related to demand a share.”

If the DNA test proved positive – the man would have to be awarded a share of his dead father’s property. The next question would be to decide how much.