Ex-boss has been a fugitive for weeks: "Galeria rescuer" is insolvent
Friedrich-Wilhelm Göbel wanted to take over up to 25 Galeria stores, but his fashion chain Aachener only operates eight stores. Now Aachener itself has to file for insolvency - while the company founder is wanted on a warrant.
Oliver Nobel has been in office as Managing Director of the Aachener fashion chain since the beginning of the week and after just a few days he has to deliver bad news to the more than 360 employees: The company is insolvent. The "Handelsblatt" newspaper quotes from a letter: "According to the current state of affairs, it is no longer guaranteed that we will be able to settle due liabilities on time and in full." According to the report, Aachener's eight existing stores are to remain open, while the situation is unclear for seven new locations listed by Wirtschaftswoche. The fashion chain had taken over these from Galeria, rented them and also wanted to hire 90 former employees.
Christoph Schulte-Kaubrügger has been appointed as the provisional insolvency administrator for "TEH Textilhandel GmbH". The lawyer explained the insolvency application with the aim of "restoring Aachener's economic viability". According to "Handelsblatt", the employees have been promised that wages and salaries will be paid via the insolvency substitute benefits up to and including January. Schulte-Kaubrügger therefore sees "possibilities for a restructuring of TEH and the continuation of the operating business".
The problems of the Aachen-based company appear to be closely linked to company founder Friedrich-Wilhelm Göbel, who handed over the management of the company to Nobel at the beginning of the week. Göbel is currently the subject of an arrest warrant and has been in hiding since the beginning of November. That is when he was supposed to appear in court: He is accused of making false statements about his assets in 2020. Just a few months ago, Göbel had announced his intention to take over up to 25 Galeria stores with his fashion chain, which was only launched in 2022.
According to Wirtschaftswoche, the locations that were actually taken over include Coburg, Cottbus, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Dortmund, Saarbrücken and Leverkusen, where rental agreements have already been signed. However, none of the stores have opened yet, although this should have happened by September. According to the magazine "Textilwirtschaft", the city of Cottbus has already terminated the rental agreement. Despite the insolvency proceedings, "the possibilities of a possible opening in the near future" are now being examined.
The insolvency of "TEH Textilhandel GmbH," formerly operated by the Aachener fashion chain, has led to uncertainty for seven new locations previously leased from Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof. Despite this, the company's eight existing stores will remain open during the insolvency process.
Despite his role as the subject of an arrest warrant for insolvency-related charges, Friedrich-Wilhelm Göbel had initially planned to expand his fashion chain Aachener by taking over up to 25 Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof stores, but this expansion now appears to be halted due to the company's insolvency.
Source: www.ntv.de
