Vermächtnis

Noun

 * 1)  testamentary gift: bequest, devise, legacy

Usage notes
Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein follow the doctrine of legatum per damnationem, whereby the beneficiary takes their testamentary gift through transfer by the executor qua heir. France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, and most other civil law countries follow the legatum per vindicationem doctrine, whereby a testamentary gift vests directly in the beneficiary on the death of the deceased without going through an executor first. (Although, if the law applicable to the inheritance follows private international law, e.g. a Polish will involving property located abroad, then legatum per vindicationem may be directly effective even if the immovable property is located in e.g. Germany.)