Gustav Kuhn leaves the function • NEWS.AT

Gustav Kuhn terminates his office after allegations of abuse

The era of Kuhn at Erl is over – at least for the moment: the "maestro" Gustav Kuhn, gravely touched by allegations of badual badault, continues its function of artistic director of the dormant festival for full clarification with immediate effect. The leaders of the APA declared that he wished to avoid further damage due to the festival,

Kuhn continuing to reject the allegations expressed by five artists in an open letter, according to a statement by the Council foundation in Vienna. The council welcomed Kuhn's decision, he added. His temporary badistant, Andreas Leisner, will be entrusted with interim management. The allegations would in any case be taken seriously, and each of them should be investigated accordingly, was badured.

Kuhn back depends on commission

A possible return of Gustav Kuhn in his function depends not only on the prosecution investigation, but also on the Commission for Equal Treatment at the Federal Chancellery , who will now call the Festival direction. The festival's president, Hans Peter Haselsteiner, has clearly deduced the discussion of the APA

"This commission will then give an opinion and only if it concludes that the accusations are false or can not be sufficiently justified, Kuhn can come back "Haselsteiner explained. At the same time, of course, there should not be any criminal charges or investigations should be stopped.

Since the reversal of the burden of proof applies to the Commission for Equal Treatment – Kuhn must give credibility to the facts of discrimination – this constitutes a " great complication "for the" Maestro "prove that he is innocent," says the industrialists.

Kuhn's contract runs until 2020

Kuhn's contract will continue until 2020. That the festival of this year – even without all the Causa – will be a successor for the time after would present, confirmed Haselsteiner. There is always "hope" that Kuhn can be Erl's main artistic director for the past two seasons. However, the accusations will have to prove "unsustainable," said the president of the festival

. The maestro had anticipated his decision with that of the board of trustees of three members, said Haselsteiner. "There were no dissenting opinions on the board," said the industrialist and boss Erl. In any case, the board of directors had "a great regret" and also "a great helplessness" in front of all the cause and the current development.

It was the presumption of innocence for Kuhn, Haselsteiner said repeatedly. To add: "Unfortunately, you must obviously provide proof of innocence, but that is exactly what it is in our media company." The former Liberal Forum politician noted a "loss of image and prestige" for the festival, but the damage was "not too big". But if Kuhn had not done it now, the damage would have increased. "We do not want abuse of power and badual coercion," Haselsteiner clarified

Land and government favorable decision

Heads of state and government welcome the decision of the artistic director Erl Tyrol Festival, Gustav Kuhn to rest his function until the charges were completely cleaned up. From the office of the Minister of Culture Gernot Blümel (ÖVP), it was stated that the decision was "necessary and without alternative."

In order to protect the Erl festival and no other damage, it needed a "quick and complete education". "The state of Tyrol takes the allegations very seriously and will support as much as possible the most comprehensive education possible," said Beate Palfrader (ÖVP), who also welcomes Kuhn's decision

. The temporary suspension of Kuhn had called for voluntary withdrawal. "The allegations of badual harbadment described in detail by the five musicians weigh heavily, but anything but a rest position would have been a fatal signal," said Kultursprecher, LAgg Georg Kaltschmid. Now this is no longer the festival but the legal enlightenment in the limelight. "We must not forget that this is not a private festival for Mr. Haselsteiner and Kuhn, but for festivals that have been funded by the state in recent years with about seven million euros. , plus the cost of building more than eight million Euro ", according to the spokesperson of the culture of the Tyrolean Greens.

Similarly, SPÖ-Kulturposter, Abg. Selma Yildirim, who described the retreat as "an important but important first step": "Now, you need a ruthless explanation of the serious allegations of badual harbadment and abuse of power." Yildirim called the Festival and the Board of Directors to carry out their responsibilities.