BAILING OUT. Heinz Hermann Thiele’s final investment wasn’t his finest. Heirs of the German billionaire, who died in February, on Thursday said they had sold more than half his estate’s 10% holding in Deutsche Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), built up a year ago during fraught negotiations over a 9 billion euro government bailout. Thiele’s initial investment was about 715 million euros. But after ditching 33 million of its 60 million shares at a 10% discount to Thursday’s closing price, followed by Friday’s 6% stock price drop, his family is nursing a loss of more than 100 million euros, according to Breakingviews calculations. That’s a disappointing outcome for a businessman whose shrewd investments, including in 17 billion euro brakes maker Knorr Bremse (KBX.DE), made him worth $20 billion. Manager Magazin estimates his offspring may owe Berlin 5 billion euros in inheritance taxes. A looming 3 billion euro Lufthansa capital hike could have cost the family over 300 million euros. Bailing out early has some logic. (By Ed Cropley) On Twitter http://twitter.com/breakingviews Earlier in Capital Calls: Samsung heir has malformed pile of freedom chips read more Apollo starts its sequel read more Microsoft’s final browser verdict read more Morgan Stanley’s stars realign read more U.S. board diversity takes shape read more