1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Austria: Tax Havens in the Alps - ej 27.02.2008

04:10

This browser does not support the video element.

Torsten JostFebruary 28, 2008

Skiing isn't the only reason German tourists come to the alpine village of Kleinwelsertal. Some of them bring their savings with them, because Kleinwelsertal is a tax haven. As far as customs law is concerned, it is part of Germany, so there is no border and no border controls. But the banking laws that apply here are Austria's. And bankers in Kleinwelsertal openly advertise that no one in Germany will ever learn about an account held here. But since German tax investigators began looking into people who evade German taxes by banking in Liechtenstein, Kleinwelsertal has been getting nervous.

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW