2024-08-31 13:56:03
Richard Lugner’s final journey begins: A large-scale memorial service is dedicated to the Viennese entrepreneur – with many celebrities in attendance.
The Viennese entrepreneur Richard “Mörtel” Lugner died on August 12th in his villa in Vienna-Döbling at the age of 91. In a funeral notice published on Instagram, it was stated that he had “passed away peacefully”. On Saturday, Austria said goodbye to its Viennese original. An intimate funeral followed a large memorial service in Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
Lugner’s last public journey began at 8 a.m. The coffin was carried through the main entrance to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, accompanied by relatives, and the body of the deceased was laid out in public.
His legendary Opera Ball top hat was draped over the coffin – that was what Lugner had wanted. The wake was held by bodyguard Christian Löschnigg. For more than 15 years, he and his team had protected Lugner and his prominent Opera Ball guests in the box.
“All Viennese, all of Austria and beyond” were invited to say goodbye to Lugner in silence, it was said about the funeral plans shortly after his death. At the forefront: daughter Jaqueline and Lugner’s ex-wife Christina “Mausi” Lugner. Both hid their tear-stained eyes behind large black sunglasses.
His sixth wife and widow Simone, who was married to him for only 72 days, arrived at the ceremony a little later in a floor-length black dress with a gold belt. She did not sit with Lugner’s daughter Jacqueline and her mother Christina afterwards. Apparently the women kept their distance from each other at the funeral.
Lugner was married to Christina for 17 years, a marriage that apparently left a lasting impression on him. According to his wishes, the coffin was to be buried at exactly 1:13 p.m. because 13 was his lucky number with Christina. The two had once said “I do” at 1:13 p.m.
Only Simone’s predecessor, the German former “Playboy” model Cathy, had complained in the media that she had not been invited. The marriage had only lasted two years, from 2014 to 2016. Former partners such as Anastasia Sokol and Nina Bruckner, however, paid their last respects to Richard Lugner.
The actual memorial service began at 9 a.m. Cathedral priest Toni Faber welcomed the mourners. After a few speeches, including from political celebrities and the Viennese actress Edith Leyrer, the Austrian rock musician Dennis Jale sang “Always on my Mind” and “Candle in the Wind”. The latter piece was supposed to be a “version of the song specially adapted for the builder” that Sir Elton John had once written for Marilyn Monroe and rewritten for Princess Diana.