Homecoming from Wels

A woman at the head of the regional court for the first time

Christina Gumpoldsberger succeeds Hans Ratgeb.(Bild: Montag „Krone“, Andreas Tröster, Sabine Starmayr)

Today, Thursday, a change of leadership took place at the Salzburg Provincial Court. Christina Gumpoldsberger (55) was appointed President of the Provincial Court and succeeds Hans Rathgeb, who has retired.

The 65-year-old, who was born in Hallein, was in charge of the provincial court for 16 years. Gumpoldsberger's judicial career began in 1993 at the Wels District Court. From 1999 to 2024, she worked at the regional court in Wels, most recently as Vice President.

Ratgeb is retiring after 16 years as President.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

Gumpoldsberger grew up in Eugendorf in Salzburg's Flachgau region and studied law at the University of Salzburg. The lawyer is now looking forward to returning to her home country after more than 30 years, according to a press release from the Salzburg Regional Court. She brings a wealth of professional experience with her. From 2013 to 2020, she held the position of Deputy Equal Treatment Officer for female and male judges, trainee judges and legal trainees for all courts in the federal states of Upper Austria, Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg.

Thanks for general refurbishment
Gumpoldsberger thanked her predecessor Hans Rathgeb for the successful general refurbishment of the Salzburg Provincial Court, which he had initiated and which was implemented during his term of office. Rathgeb was appointed Vice President of the Salzburg Provincial Court in 2001. During this time, the trial surrounding the Kaprun glacier lift fire catastrophe, which received worldwide media attention, dominated, with Rathgeb acting as media spokesman. "Being in the international media spotlight to such an extent was uncharted territory for the Austrian judiciary at the time," he recalled. For Rathgeb, this was one of the reasons to advocate for professional media and public relations work in the judiciary from then on and to be a pioneer in this area. In 2008, he was appointed President of the Salzburg Provincial Court.