A kind man has left €2m to French village that hid his family from Nazis during the second world war.

A man from Austria that fled the Nazis with his family during the second world war has bequeathed a large part of his fortune to a village in France that hid them from persecution for years.

Eric Schwam, who passed away at the age of 90 on December 25, 2020, wrote a surprise gift in his will for Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, a village located on a remote mountain plateau in the south east area of France.

The are has a community, a large one, that offered shelter to people that were in need during the second world war.

Jean-Michel Eyraud, the mayor of the small town, said that the amount is really a lot for a small village.

The mayor did not reveal the exact amount of money, however, his predecessor, who told a local website that she met Schwam and his wife 2 times to talk about the gift.

They said it was around €2m (£1.8m).

Schwam and his family arrived in 1943 and were hidden in a school for the duration of the war.

They stayed there until the end of the war.

Schwam studied pharmacy and married a Catholic woman from the region.

Eraud said Schwam asked them to use the money on educational and youth initiatives, particularly scholarships.

Such an amazing thing to do!

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