Hotel boss accused

Dispute with Manker turns into an undignified spectacle

Paulus Manker described his view of the incidents at the Südbahnhotel in the "Landl"(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Sebastian Kreuzberger Anja Richter)

The owner of the Südbahnhotel am Semmering, Christian Zeller, is in a permanent clinch with "Alma" director Paulus Manker. On Monday, a new hearing took place at the Vienna Provincial Court. The accounts of both parties left the audience shaking their heads. 

It's theatrical in Vienna's Landl when director Paulus Manker reads excerpts from documents to Mr. Rat. The 66-year-old is confronted with a private accusation by Südbahnhotel owner Christian Zeller for various insults in the media - from "psychopath" to "charlatan".

Zeller had terminated the contract with Manker, who produced the plays "The Last Days of Mankind" and "Alma" in the imposing house in Semmering (Lower Austria). Since then, there has been "war" between the two on the open stage.

"He arrived with a troop of thugs"
The theater audience of "Alma" also had to witness this on August 3 and 4, 2023: Because Manker did not want to let in those guests who had purchased their tickets from Zeller, an undignified spectacle ensued: "The private prosecutor arrived with a squad of thugs - nine two-meter tall men, all dressed in black," says Manker. They threatened that no one would come in if Zeller's guests were not allowed in. "The violent criminals blocked the entrance, it was pretty violent. They threatened, pushed and physically attacked my employees and me," he told the judge.

Paulus Manker also plays himself in his plays.(Bild: alma-mahler.at)

The police were called and the irritated spectators were finally directed into the former hotel via a side entrance. There, the theater experience began with an angry speech by Manker, in which he apparently insulted Zeller, the authorities and the mayor, among others. During the trial, Manker always referred to August 3 as "the day of the attack". 

Manker "barricaded" himself in the hotel
"As the owner, I will not allow myself to be locked out", Zeller replied in his interrogation. The security guards were necessary to protect him and two other people: "Purely to defend myself." Paulus Manker had "barricaded himself in" at the hotel that evening and the spectators had not known what was going on.

The next day, Manker also armed himself with security and there were scuffles between the two groups - Zeller was injured. This time, the police and ambulance arrived. "I've grown tired of taking a stand against every claim Mr. Manker makes out of thin air," adds Zeller.

To be continued on September 26
The drama, which is increasingly causing listeners to shake their heads, still has several acts to go in court. Adjourned to September 26 for a long list of witnesses.