BERLIN, May 17: A German woman in her eighties said on Tuesday she had been ordered by her pension fund to produce a certificate to prove she was still alive. Martha Kruse telephoned the Bundesknappschaft fund after her payments were suddenly stopped, only to be told by an employee: “Don’t get upset, but you died on Jan 28.”

The fund also asked payments made to the 82-year-old to be repaid. The employee would not accept the sound of the woman’s voice as proof that she was still alive and asked her instead to produce a ‘life certificate’.

The perplexed Kruse was forced to go to the municipal authorities in her home town of Barsinghausen. The municipality agreed to make out the necessary document, charging her 4.80 euros (six dollars). The certificate stated that Kruse was alive and well.

Thomas Lieth, the head of the Bundesknappschaft fund, said Kruse had been confused with another client who had died, but defended the decision to ask for proof she was alive.—AFP