The sleepy hamlet of Mittenwalde in eastern Germany could become one of the richest towns in the world if Berlin were to repay it an outstanding debt that dates back to 1562.

A certificate of debt, found in a regional archive, attests that Mittenwalde lent Berlin 400 guilders on May 28 1562, to be repaid with six percent interest per year.

According to Radio Berlin Brandenburg (RBB), the debt would amount to 11,200 guilders today, which is roughly equivalent to 112 million euros ($136.79 million).

Adjusting for compound interest and inflation, the total debt now lies in the trillions, by RBB's estimates.

Town historian Vera Schmidt found the centuries-old debt slip in the archive, where it had been filed in 1963. Though the seal is missing from the document, Schmidt told Reuters that she was certain the slip was still valid.

"In 1893 there was a debate in which the document was examined and the writing was determined to be authentic," Schmidt said.

Schmidt and Mittenwalde's Mayor Uwe Pfeiffer have tried to ask Berlin for their money back. Such requests have been made every 50 years or so since 1820 but always to no avail.

To read the complete article, see:450-year-old debt. Trillions owed. But will German village get repaid?(www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0718/450-year-old-debt
.-Trillions-owed.-But-will-German-village-get-repaid)

To read the original story in German, see:Berlin schuldet Mittenwalde ein Vermoegen(www.berliner-zeitung.de/berlin/jahrhunderte-alter-schuldschein-berlin
-schuldet-mittenwalde-ein-vermoegen,10809148,16110222.html)