Austria Lugner memorial service in a storm of cameras and flashbulbs
The farewell to master builder Richard Lugner with a public funeral and memorial service on Saturday at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.
Image: Keystone
The 91-year-old Lugner, known for his appearances with stars and starlets at the Vienna Opera Ball, died on August 12.
Image: Keystone
Christina Lugner and Jacqueline Lugner at the farewell of master builder Richard Lugner.
Image: Keystone
Lugner had chosen a red coffin. This is the color of his shopping center Lugner City.
Image: Keystone
Wife Simone Lugner at the funeral.
Image: Keystone
The farewell to master builder Richard Lugner with a public funeral and memorial service on Saturday at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.
Image: Keystone
The 91-year-old Lugner, known for his appearances with stars and starlets at the Vienna Opera Ball, died on August 12.
Image: Keystone
Christina Lugner and Jacqueline Lugner at the farewell of master builder Richard Lugner.
Image: Keystone
Lugner had chosen a red coffin. This is the color of his shopping center Lugner City.
Image: Keystone
Wife Simone Lugner at the funeral.
Image: Keystone
At a memorial service in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, numerous people bid farewell to the late Austrian entrepreneur Richard Lugner. Hundreds of people had already gathered at the cathedral in the early morning to pay their last respects to him.
The 91-year-old, known for his appearances with stars and starlets at the Vienna Opera Ball, died on August 12. As in life, he wanted a spectacular event, which is why there were dozens of cameras in the church broadcasting every detail live.
"We tried to prepare everything so that he would like it," said cathedral priest Toni Faber in an interview. "His soul will take notice, and he will look down with a smile and accept it gratefully."
His widow Simone (42), who was married to him for just 72 days, arrived in a floor-length black dress with a gold belt. She sat on one side of the coffin in the front row, her daughter and ex-wife Christina on the other. Almost all the ex-wives and companions were present. Political celebrities were also present, including Austria's Family Minister Susanne Raab and ex-FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache.
In the red coffin
Lugner was married six times. Only Simone's predecessor, the German former Playboy model Kathy, had complained in the media that she had not been invited.
Lugner had chosen a red coffin. This is the color of his shopping center Lugner City. On it lay the top hat that Lugner wore every year when he accompanied celebrities to the Vienna Opera Ball for a handsome fee, most recently the Elvis widow Priscilla Presley. The coffin was to be driven past both the opera house and the shopping center in a procession before the funeral at noon.
Lugner died in his villa in mid-August shortly after a serious heart operation. He had previously struggled with health problems on several occasions. He had married for the last time at the beginning of June.
Lugner's fame spread far beyond Austria's borders thanks to his impressive visits to the Vienna Opera Ball with dazzling star guests. However, the master builder was also successful as an entrepreneur: in Vienna, for example, he built the "Lugner City", which is now one of the largest shopping centers in Austria.
SDA
