Schickeria bids farewell to the "Murderer" Lugner structure's lion statues.
In his final act, the extravagant Austrian businessman Richard Lugner restored his reputation as a socialite, hosting his final party at Viennas St. Stephen's Cathedral, much alike his past events. This elaborate memorial service, held just three weeks following his death, attracted numerous celebrities and spectators alike. A notable detail can be traced back to one of his previous spouses.
Much like he did throughout his life, Richard Lugner took center stage in death, orchestrating his memorial service akin to his beloved social events filled with glamour and stars. As Vienna Opera Ball's most frequent visitor, Lugner, whom passed away on the 12th of August at 91, enjoyed incorporating celebrity appearances in his shopping centers - making a big deal out of announcing them. At this year's event, Priscilla Presley, Elvis' wife, accompanied him. Throughout his career, Lugner relished his title as a "high society lion," conducting most of his six marriages in public view.
This stewardship propelled him into Austria's social hierarchy and secured his spot in the gossip columns and tabloid shows. Among the A-list celebrities and politicians, decently distanced in the service's public area, gathered hundreds of viewers eager to film the event. Just moments before the service began, Dean Toni Faber, spokesperson, expressed, "We've ensured everything happens as he would've preferred, and when he sees it, he'll smile and feel thankful." His sixth wife and widow, Simone, donned a floor-length black gown with a golden belt, revealing her part in his life. In the front row, Lugner's daughter Jacqueline sat surrounded by Christina Lugner, his fourth wife, and her mom.
Lugner and Christina's marriage lasted 17 years, leaving a profound impact on his life. True to Lugner's love of the number 13, the coffin was buried at 13:13, a number religiously cherished by both.
An unwelcome guest
Former spouses and girlfriends graced the memorial service, except for Simone's former predecessor, Kathy, the German former Playboy model. She had voiced her discontent publicly over not receiving an invitation for their brief two-year union (2014-2016)
The service's musical accompaniment featured Mozart and Austrian rock singer Dennis Jale. With a sentimental tone, he crooned an adaptation of Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," originally performed at Princess Diana's funeral. Jale sang, "Farewell, Richards Love." As the procession exited the church, the annual Opera Ball's fanfare polonaise echoed.
Lugner's symbolic resting place
Lugner had requested a crimson coffin, mirroring the color of his Lugner City shopping center, where his top hat lay in tribute. After the memorial service, the procession journeyed through Victorian streets, with a more private funeral service as its final destination, the opera house, and his shopping center being points of passing.
Born November 11th, 1932 in Vienna, Johann Graf, whose fortune stemmed from reconstructing villas, expressed in an interview with the Austrian Press Agency (APA), his early ventures. In 1975, he built Austria's first mosque, the Vienna Mosque. Around a decade later, Lugner continued his legacy by constructing Lugner City, one of the country's largest shopping centers located in Vienna's outskirts.
Despite Kathy, the German former Playboy model and Simone's former predecessor, voicing her discontent over not receiving an invitation to the memorial service for their brief two-year union, other former spouses and girlfriends attended. The grief of losing Richard Lugner was tangible, as celebrities and spectators alike filled the public area, eager to pay their respects.
