Sixth wedding

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Simone Reiländer, known as Bienchen, becomes Richard Lugner's sixth wife.(Bild: Andreas Lepsi / picturedesk.com)

The Lugner family is in the middle of wedding preparations. Not only is Richard Lugner's daughter Jacqueline getting married, but the 91-year-old is also walking down the aisle for the sixth and "last time", as he says. On June 1, he will make his girlfriend Simone Reiländer his new Mrs. Lugner. He only really loved two women before his little bee, he confesses. 

The first time he married Christine Gmeiner, six years his junior, in 1961. "She was my childhood sweetheart," says the master builder.

The girl from the single staircase
Gmeiner lived in the same house as Lugner on Einser-Stiege and she caught his eye as a 13-year-old. At some point, he picked her up from school in his first car, a rusty Fiat. Lugner has many fond memories of that time. But after 17 years, the couple separated.

Richard Lugner with his ex-wife Christine Gmeiner and his son Alexander(Bild: Karl Schöndorfer / picturedesk.com)

OPEC Secretary General intervened
He married again in 1979. However, this marriage only lasted four years. "The then OPEC Secretary General stole Cornelia (Hahn, note) from me," said Lugner.

Marriage number three followed in 1984 with Susanne Dietrich. The marriage ended tragically: in 1984, shortly after the divorce, Dietrich fell into a coma following cosmetic surgery and died.

Together on the society stage
Christina "Mausi" Lugner, née Haidinger, was probably the Baumeister's most famous partner.

The couple married on July 13, 1991 and spent years together on the social scene. However, this marriage also ended in 2007. "Mausi" is still on friendly terms with her ex-husband and often stands by his side, but also lets him know when something doesn't suit her. 

Only two women really loved Simone before her
On September 13, 2014, Lugner married German Playmate Cathy Schmitz at a fifth wedding staged as a media spectacle at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. White doves were supposed to ensure happiness in the fifth Lugner marriage. 

Richard Lugner wanted to walk down the aisle with her for the sixth time.(Bild: Andreas Lepsi / picturedesk.com)

It didn't work out: after just two years, it was over again. "It was a flop," says the master builder - and you can almost hear him sigh when he says it. "Apart from Simone, I only loved Christine and Christina."