"Man of my life" - Lugner's loved ones say goodbye
Austrian businessman Richard Lugner passes away at 91. Alongside Austrian politicians publicly bidding farewell to a "Viennese original," the first ex-partners of "Concrete" also speak out. Regret mixes with their grief here and there.
Lugner's fifth wife is "in shock" since learning of her ex-husband's death, as she told RTL in a Zoom interview. In 2014, Richard Lugner married Catherine "Cathy" Schmitz, 57 years his junior, whom he affectionately called "Spatzi." The marriage lasted only two years, and Lugner's final assessment was brutal: "She was my biggest flop." That the two did not part on good terms and had not made up by his death now pains Cathy Lugner: "I'm very sad that we couldn't bury the hatchet, I would have liked that."
Even if they weren't together as long "as one might have wished," Lugner was still a person who greatly influenced her life, Cathy Lugner told RTL. He was also a father figure to her daughter, whom he met when she was about five years old. "Of course, he was also a part of her life. And when we went to Vienna to visit friends, she often asked, 'Mom, can we visit Richard?'" Since the divorce, she and the deceased had only sporadic contact, which unfortunately also involved a lot of arguing.
On Instagram, Cathy Lugner strikes a conciliatory tone. Posting a picture with "Concrete" from better times, she writes: "Richard, you seemed immortal too. Your drive, your determination, your courage were inspiring and infectious. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the great time by your side, for everything you taught me about life."
Lugner's ex-wife Christina "Mausi" Lugner, with whom he was married for 16 years, is also shocked by her ex-husband's death. She had spoken to him on the phone just yesterday, she told RTL. He was her "great role model and life partner," to whom she owed a great deal: "Rest in peace, dear Richard, you leave a big void, we miss you infinitely." The couple has a daughter together, whom Christina Lugner now wants to support.
"Your box is now in heaven"
Not only in Lugner's private circle is the grief over the enterprising businessman, who brought worldwide attention to the Vienna Opera Ball each year with a different female celebrity companion, great. Several Austrian politicians have already spoken out in the media to express their condolences. "Your box is now in heaven," wrote National Council President Norbert Hofer on X.
"Richard Lugner was not only an outstanding entrepreneur and a colorful personality, but above all a person with a big heart. His commitment, his energy, and his unshakable belief in the good in people have reached many people," Hofer told "Heute.at." The deceased was an "unmistakable original, a piece of Viennese cultural history."
Lugner was already a "legend in his own lifetime."
FPO leader Herbert Kickl spoke up on Instagram, writing: "Richard Lugner was already a legend in his lifetime. With unprecedented economic acumen, he created and built great things. He enhanced the Opera Ball as Austria's international flagship each year with famous guests from around the world. With Richard Lugner, Austria loses not only a great entrepreneur, who truly achieved greatness with his Lugner City, but also a person who, with his boundless energy and zest for life, was an inspiration to many. We will miss him."
Cathy Lugner struggles with the fact that she and her ex-husband never reconciled before his death, expressing her sadness about not being able to bury their past disagreements.
Upon learning of Richard Lugner's death, Cathy Lugner's daughter expressed her wish to visit the deceased, often asking to see him during their visits to Vienna.
