rbb scandal: the director and her controller

Wolf-Dieter Wolf was actually supposed to monitor Patricia Schlesinger’s work as chairman of the board. New documents show that their relationship was so close that they even wanted to travel together.

On a Tuesday evening in June 2018, the recalled rbb-Intendant Patricia Schlesinger and her chief inspector Wolf-Dieter Wolf and his wife in a Charlottenburg restaurant where you should be able to encounter the “easy French way of life in a very special way”. This is how the restaurant describes itself on its website. On the wall are dozens of small photos of the namesake – an actor known for his charm. The trio of duck foie gras and steak tartare can be served here – depending on your taste. Veal cheeks and lobster risotto follow. You drink an aperitif, order champagne, a bottle of Sancerre, then vodka and crémant sorbets and the bill. At the end of the evening, at 10:28 p.m., Schlesinger pulls out a Mastercard: 328 euros plus a ten percent tip.

According to information from the rbb research teams the rbb. Schlesinger submitted the hospitality bill for the meal with “Wolf-Dieter Wolf + Partner” to the broadcaster. Schlesinger signed the form herself for approval. In fact, according to the broadcaster’s entertainment expense regulations, the director was generally allowed to settle work meetings with members of the board of directors at the broadcaster. It has not been precisely determined whether amounts in the three-digit euro range are appropriate and permissible for the couple and they.

Was it a meal among friends? Was it a working meeting in the evening to which the wife of the chairman of the board of directors, Wolf-Dieter Wolf, surprisingly came along? All of this cannot be finally clarified, because those present would like to ask questions about it rbb research team dont answer. Wolf lets his lawyer tell him that he is not commenting on the media at the moment. Schlesinger’s lawyer writes about this and other events: “We have the rbb asked to unblock Ms. Schlesinger’s access to her calendar and emails so that we can check and say with sufficient certainty whether and under what circumstances these specific appointments actually took place.”

Schlesinger and Wolf also met privately

Evenings like this could still play a role. The friendly relationship between Schlesinger and Wolf seems to rbb-affair central. The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating both, and there are suspicions of infidelity and corruption offences. Schlesinger and Wolf deny the allegations. The declared core task of the board of directors is actually to monitor the management of the director. Especially with regard to financial decisions – according to the rbb website – the board of directors should act in an advisory capacity.

The connection between Schlesinger and Wolf is obviously not only of an institutional nature. The director at the time and the man with whom she negotiated her employment contract also maintain a personal relationship. On another day – in February 2019 – they also ate together. Again Schlesinger took over the bill – in the amount of 252 euros. This time Schlesinger did not charge Wolf rbb-Cost one but paid out of pocket.

Trip to Jerusalem

Once, Schlesinger and Wolf almost traveled together. Since 1991, the Berliner Philharmoniker have been celebrating their birthday on May 1st with the “European Concert”. The symphony orchestra goes on a concert tour for this occasion. Three performances in Israel were planned for 2020. Schlesinger, too, should have accompanied the orchestra there, as did its spokeswoman rbb-Research team communicates on request.

Schlesinger is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philharmoniker rbb is responsible for the transmission of the “European Concert” in the first. The orchestra was to play twice in Tel Aviv and then at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. Ultimately, the entire trip was canceled – because of Corona. Israel had decided to ban entry, the Philharmonic no longer came into the country and neither did Schlesinger.

However, your accommodation had long since been booked. As early as November 2019, according to information from rbbResearch teams used their names and credit cards to book a room at a historic five-star hotel in East Jerusalem. Celebrities such as Winston Churchill, Giorgio Armani and Bob Dylan are said to have stayed at the “American Colony Hotel”, and now the director of rbb probably wanted to stay here too. A “deluxe Pasha room” with a king-size bed and a private terrace was ordered and paid for two nights for the equivalent of more than 1000 euros – according to internal documents for two people.

The Wolf couple should probably come too

It is documented that the Wolf couple should also come along. According to the hotel’s website, the board chairman and his wife were to be accommodated in a “junior suite” – a “premium larger room, some with original ceiling paintings”. Two nights there should cost the equivalent of more than 1200 euros.

A representative of the hotel said on request that they had not accommodated any more day guests during this period. A deposit – half of the amount – was initially debited, but was refunded after Corona outbreaks in Israel. What makes the process explosive is that Schlesinger also used the Mastercard this time, which you from rbb was made available. According to information from rbb-Research teams booked both rooms with this credit card.

The incumbent chairwoman of the board of directors, Dorette König, left an inquiry about her predecessor’s planned trip to Israel unanswered. The rbb is also silent on the hotel bookings of the dismissed director. “With regard to the public prosecutor’s investigations, we are currently unable to provide any information on expense reports that affect Ms. Schlesinger,” said a spokeswoman. The public prosecutor’s office had asked the broadcaster in writing not to pass on data and documents on topics related to the ongoing investigation.

Unmistakable proximity

But why did Wolf want to go to Jerusalem with Schlesinger? He did not want to comment on this either. According to the Interstate Broadcasting Agreement, the board of directors is “authorized to inspect facilities and examine business processes”. A spokeswoman for the Philharmonic announced on request that Wolf was traveling in connection with the rbb accompanied “European concert” nothing is known. There is no mention of spouses in the Interstate Broadcasting Treaty.

It is not clear whether Wolf and Schlesinger originally planned to pay for the hotel costs privately and possible “debts” with the rbb to settle. Apparently, this did not happen in the four months before the refund because of Corona, in which the hotel had already received the deposit. In any case, a closeness between the controlled and their controller is unmistakable.