Brucknerhaus scandal

Luger chats had been circulating in the LIVA for some time

The turbulent weeks at the Brucknerhaus continue.

(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger © Daniel Scharinger)

Anyone hoping for background information on the latest case in the Brucknerhaus scandal, the dismissal of commercial director René Esterbauer, was disappointed. For data protection reasons, LIVA Supervisory Board Chairman Meinhard Lukas, as before, only provided the City Senate with very limited information.

The Brucknerhaus scandal has been keeping the beleaguered Linzer Veranstaltungsgesellschaft (LIVA) busy for months and hardly a week goes by without new twists and revelations. The latest bombshell happened last Wednesday: René Esterbauer, who had taken over the commercial management after Kerschbaum's resignation and subsequent dismissal, was dismissed by the managing deputy mayor of Linz and LIVA owner's representative Dietmar Prammer. "There are indications that we have to follow up. As long as we don't have a complete picture, I can't say any more," was the brief statement from LIVA Supervisory Board Chairman Meinhard Lukas.

Chat mail received on July 16
The latter did not really change today, Friday, during a press conference. Lukas was very careful with information for data protection reasons. "On Friday last week, I received the news that there must have been an email in the Brucknerhaus since mid-July containing the chats known since August 20. After a thorough check, we discovered that the email in question was actually received in the LIVA mail system on July 16. All we have been doing since then is clarifying how this email was handled."

In this process, which has not yet been concluded, there is said to have been a point in time when LIVA's lawyer recommended that Esterbauer be released in order to avert possible damage, which Prammer then carried out.

Tax consultant and Posthof boss step in
In order to keep LIVA operational after Esterbauer's release, personnel decisions have now also been made: Linz-based tax consultant Alexander Stefan will take over the commercial management on an interim basis. Posthof boss Gernot Kremser will become an authorized signatory at LIVA. This was announced after the LIVA supervisory board meeting on Friday.