EXHIBIT 24.1

                                 POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS:

  The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints BURTON E. BROOME, SHIRLEY H.
BUCCIERI and ROBERT D. MYERS, and each of them with power to act alone, his or
her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution
and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign (either manually or electronically through the
EDGAR System of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission) a
Registration Statement or Registration Statements on Form S-8 related to
2,000,000 shares of common stock of Transamerica Corporation issuable under the
Transamerica Corporation 1995 Performance Stock Option Plan, and any and all
amendments of such Registration Statements, including post-effective amendments,
and to file the same, together with exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises
hereof, as fully as to all intents and purposes as he or she might do or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each such attorney-in-
fact or his or her substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned directors have executed this Power of
Attorney effective as of the 23rd day of April, 1998.

/s/ Samuel L. Ginn                            /s/ Condoleezza Rice
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Samuel L. Ginn                                Condoleezza Rice                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
/s/ Frank C. Herringer                        /s/ Charles R. Schwab             
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Frank C. Herringer                            Charles R. Schwab                 
                                                                                
                                                                                
/s/ Robert W. Matschullat                     /s/ Forrest N. Shumway            
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Robert W. Matschullat                         Forrest N. Shumway                
                                                                                
                                                                                
/s/ Gordon E. Moore                           /s/ Peter V. Ueberroth            
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Gordon E. Moore                               Peter V. Ueberroth
                                  
                                  
/s/ Toni Rembe                    
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Toni Rembe