The aftermath of the "Alma" production in Semmering in the summer of 2023 is taking on ever more curious proportions: Südbahnhotel owner Christian Zeller - as reported - filed a private lawsuit against director Paulus Manker for libel and defamation. A verdict is expected on Thursday.

A settlement was reached in another civil lawsuit in April 2024, which Manker brought against "Alma" actress Anna F. (not the singer, editor's note). On August 9, 2023, F. had publicly resigned during a performance and said to the audience: "I don't get paid, everyone else does." And accused him of abusing his power in a TV documentary. Manker then sued her for injunctive relief.

Charges of assault and sexual harassment
When the settlement was reached at the Vienna Regional Court for Civil Matters in spring 2024, Anna F. had no idea that another episode in her story was yet to come. And a very unpleasant one at that. As the Wiener Neustadt public prosecutor's office confirmed to the Krone, the actress is facing a criminal complaint. She will have to answer for "assault" and "sexual harassment" at the district court in Neunkirchen on May 6. 

The accusations relate to the performance on August 4, 2023, before which there was also a police operation. At the time, Zeller's people tried to prevent the audience from entering and chaos ensued (the Krone reported). In the play, Anna F. is said to have shoved a burning torch into a colleague's face. According to the criminal complaint, the man suffered a burn on his nose, which was also documented. She also allegedly bit him on the buttocks during one scene, injuring and sexually harassing him.

Staging with a lot of improvisation
"Completely absurd. This is cheerful district court", says Manfred Ainedter, Anna F.'s lawyer. The complaint was received a year after the performance: "The scene with the bite took place every evening. It was part of the production." There was no intent to injure. Regarding the torch, he said that Anna F. had stumbled after being pulled by her colleague's skirt. The actress herself had been injured once in the course of the "Alma" production in July 2023; the arm injury was medically certified. "But my client would never have thought of reporting it," says Ainedter. His client is presumed innocent.

"He wants to destroy my career"
 "I'm shocked", says actress Anna F. to "Krone". She suspects that Paulus Manker is behind it: "He wants to ruin my career." She is less worried about the trial than about the signal effect: "I'm afraid that other young actresses who defend themselves will no longer dare to do so when they see what they are threatened with."

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