Kušej on Teichtmeister’s case: “It was a finely knit web of lies”

Kušej on Teichtmeister’s case: “It was a finely knit web of lies”

The Burgtheater actor Florian Teichtmeister, who has since been released
Image: NKO/JAEAPA/FLORIAN WIESER

“I reach the limits of my own emotionality – also in the realization that someone has lied to me so massively.” Burgtheater director Martin Kušej made his first detailed statement to the ORF on Monday about the Teichtmeister case. Burgtheater actor Florian Teichtmeister, who has since been released, has to answer to the Vienna Regional Court on Wednesday (February 8) for possessing 58,000 files depicting child abuse.

Kušej justified the fact that he has not yet given an interview on the cause in Ö1 and in “Kulturmontag” with the surprise of the revelation: “I have to admit that we were caught cold by this whole story and we were gripped by an eerie shock. […] I had the feeling that the ground was being pulled from under my feet.” Finally, since the allegations became known internally in 2021, Florian Teichtmeister has always asserted that things are on the right track and that the allegations are irrelevant. “It was a very finely knit web of lies that I fell for,” says Kušej.

That’s why the Burgtheater director can’t identify any mistakes in his company from the point of view of employment law: “It’s important for every employer to have basic trust in the people they work with. […] There is the presumption of innocence, which I had to adhere to.” Of course, one is always smarter in hindsight, but one simply could not dismiss Teichtmeister in 2021. “The majority of all employment lawyers who know […] confirmed that we did absolutely the right thing.”

At the same time, it is clear that the financial and image damage for the Burgtheater is immense, which is why one must also try to indemnify Teichtmeister. “As managing directors, we are obliged to sue for the damage in some form – and we will do so.” However, the exact sum that is being discussed here cannot be quantified at this point in time. In any case, the basic rule is: “We will under no circumstances allow a criminal to discredit and damage the work of the 500 people who work here.”

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