Jacky vs. Simone

The haggling over Lugner’s millions continues

Simone Lugner with attorney Florian Höllwarth. The legal dispute centers on the right to reside in the villa in Döbling.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Gerhard Bartel, Georg Tischler)

The inheritance dispute is slowly beginning to resemble a bazaar: Simone, Baumeister’s widow, is demanding 24 million euros for a comprehensive settlement. The opposing side offered three—and has now raised their offer to four million. Meanwhile, on Friday in the courtroom, the final weeks of Richard Lugner’s life were once again discussed at length.   

It was supposed to be the final day of proceedings at the Vienna Palace of Justice. In the dispute over Richard Lugner’s widow Simone’s lifetime right of residence at the Baumeister estate in Vienna’s Döbling district, the opposing parties are facing off once again in Courtroom 9. Once again, the final months of “Mörtel”—who passed away on August 12, 2024, at the age of 91—are being rehashed.

Who cared for Richard before his death? 
The crucial question is whether the 44-year-old widow fulfilled the terms of the marriage contract and cared for Richard. The Lugner Family Private Foundation disputes this and has filed a lawsuit.

He made a very bad impression on me; he breathed like Darth Vader.

Ein Hausarbeiter sagt als Zeuge aus.

The court intends to delve deeply into the private life of the Lugner household. They’re discussing in detail who took on which household tasks and who slept where. The socialite’s health is also being widely discussed: “He made a very bad impression on me; he breathed like Darth Vader,” recalls a maintenance technician at Lugner City who also regularly performed work at his villa. He was surprised that Richard and Simone had separate living areas in the house. “It’s a long way between the rooms. I don’t think you’d be able to hear someone calling for help from there.”

As far as he knew, Lugner’s ex-wives had spent the night in his bedroom, while Simone moved into the former guest room with its own bathroom.

Simone Lugner’s attorney, Florian Höllwarth, is convinced that his client upheld the marital agreement. For a possible settlement, he is demanding the hefty sum of 24 million euros for the widow. She would then move out of the villa, and the inheritance and foundation shares would also be fully settled.

“We have now increased our offer by a third, so we are now offering four million euros.”

Anwalt Markus Tschank vertritt die Familienstiftung.

Bild: Eva Manhart

The opposing side’s offer, however, was three million euros—for everything: “We have now increased our offer by a third, so we are now offering four million euros,” says attorney Markus Tschank, who represents the foundation.

The case could go all the way to the Supreme Court
Höllwarth and Simone Lugner now intend to review the comprehensive settlement. However, it is safe to assume that the final word has not yet been spoken and that negotiations will center on a sum in the tens of millions. If no agreement is reached, a legal battle lasting years looms. Both sides have announced their intention to fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

Like strudel dough, the legal battle over the right of residence keeps getting twisted and turned. The hearing has been postponed again, this time to December 18.