- Richard Lugner is dead, the headline for the elixir of life.
His stage was the Vienna Opera Ball. At the glittering event with its 5000 guests, Richard "Mörtel" Lugner basked in the flash of photographers. By his side was a celebrity, a beauty, or a highly demanding companion, like the 2014 It-girl Kim Kardashian with her many special requests. For discreetly unmentioned high sums, prominent ladies accompanied him to the ball - the last being the widow of Elvis Presley, Priscilla.
Lugner also made headlines in June with his sixth marriage. He married the much younger Simone Reilaender. In July, he underwent a heart operation, which he reportedly recovered from well. Now, he has passed away at the age of 91.
The entrepreneur was a shockingly embarrassing, almost endearingly naive self-promoter. It seemed that nothing was too uncomfortable for him, especially when TV cameras were rolling. In the reality soap "The Lugners" on Austrian TV (ATV), "Mörtel" revealed his private life in around 100 episodes from 2003 onwards.
From dramatic scenes at the Opera Ball to reconciliation photos in the bathtub, all genuine and calculated emotions were played out in front of TV cameras. "My passion is hotter than goulash soup," he quoted from an operetta hit in front of running cameras.
His heart belonged particularly to young women. This was notably evident in 2014 when he married the German model Cathy at Schönbrunn Palace. She was 57 years younger than him.
When the marriage ended two years later, Lugner, who claimed to receive many offers from 25- to 30-year-old women, reflected. His target group is now women around 40. "That's what's deepest," he concluded.
A 2016 diagnosed prostate cancer may also have made him think. He survived the disease and appeared remarkably vital at many appearances. To maintain this, he received injections, underwent cold and dietary cures.
All his girlfriends received animal names, like "Mausi", "Hasi", "Kafer", "Bambi", "Kolibri". Lugner didn't mind reporters asking "How's Lugner's petting zoo?", seeing it as a compliment rather than an affront.
Lugner's life wasn't just about pleasure and almost daily going out - he worked in his shopping center office until the end. The "Lugner City" in Vienna, with its more than 110 shops and 56,000 rentable square meters, is the engineer's life's work.
Lugner's career as a construction entrepreneur and forays into politics began in 1975 when his construction company received the order to build a mosque in Vienna. His company had up to 600 employees at times. In 1990, he opened his shopping center, later adding an 11-screen cinema. In "Lugner City", the star guests of the Opera Ball gave autograph sessions and press conferences - ensuring massive media attention for the shopping temple.
Political forays also belonged to the life of the society lion. In 1998, he ran for the office of Austrian Federal President. The builder received 9.9 percent of the votes, which was considered a respectable result.
This should not happen again, as his later TV appearances made him a laughing stock in Austrian society. In his second presidential candidacy in 2016, he received only 2.3% of the votes. "I am the Kasperl and the Kasperl always wins" was his unsuccessful motto.
Incidentally, his annual Opernball appearances were not as smooth as they seemed. Apart from often having some trouble with the antics of his guests, the genuinely noble society was not pleased with the rather eccentric guest. "They don't like me there, but the Opernball benefits from me," Lugner once said.
Positive Life Balance - with one exception
Looking back on his life as the head of a construction company, owner of a shopping center, and often ridiculed eccentric, Lugner said a few years ago: "Everything went well for me - except for the women."
In an attempt to extend his vitality, Lugner sought unconventional methods, including injections and dietary cures, perhaps hoping for an elixir of life-like effect. Despite numerous marriages and romantic entanglements, Lugner once mused, "Everything went well for me - except for the women."
