Bounced jazz musicians go to court. The bomb exploded in December: Video

30 artists are still waiting for their fees for performances at the Saarbrücken Jazz Festival. Now they want to sue the carrier association and the city of Saarbrücken. In the focus of criticism: Cultural Affairs Thomas Brück.

The bomb exploded in December: The Saarbrücken jazz festival is about to end, because the artistic director and chairman of the supporting association “Jazz Syndikat e.V.”, Wolfgang Krause, has probably embezzled the artists’ fees (we reported). How high the damage is, is still unclear, but probably it is about 100 000 €. The prosecution has now initiated a “preliminary investigation” against Krause.

Even the bruised artists or their agencies are now considering legal action against the club and the city, as Horst Papeler-Dütsch of the Berlin agency ProTon music management tells our newspaper. He acts as spokesman for the artists involved. “We are outraged that the city declares itself simply inappropriate and is already thinking about a new festival, before the outstanding salaries are paid,” said Papeler-Dütsch He refers to considerations, a new festival to the Saarbrücken jazz professor Oliver To entrust shrub artistically (we reported). In one of our newspaper letter (dated January 9) to the mayor of Saarbrücken, city cultural affairs director Thomas Brück, and Minister of Culture Ulrich Commerçon, signed by 30 victims, the victims demanded that the city take over and pay the outstanding salaries. That rejects cultural affairs director Thomas Brück. Reason: One was not an organizer, but as a promoter of the association itself damaged (32 000 €).

Nevertheless, the bruised artists Brück personally a co-responsibility. He acted “grossly negligent”. The letter says: “Although Krück was personally informed by Krause on November 9 that this money was lost, he did not see to it that the remaining seven concerts were canceled,” criticized Papeler-Dütsch. Unsuspecting artists have been trapped in such a trap, they still have their money today. The letter states: “This is a grossly negligent breach of duty of care to the artists for which he also has to be held liable (.) Therefore, we address our claim by way of official liability for their cultural department also to the city Saarbrücken direct. ”

In his written answer to the injured party on 18 January, Brück justifies himself and describes how Wolfgang Krause came to his office unannounced on 9 November – in the middle of the current festival, which ran until 19 November, and said he wanted to “confess”. He was “burned out” and the money of the club was “gambled”. He, Brück, wants to “learn about these events for the first time on this November day”. He then promptly “as a member of the Jazz Syndicate e.V.” informed the Board in writing and asked for extraordinary cash audit. He was not aware at the time that there was no functioning executive committee in the club at all, said Brück yesterday. Its members resigned successively in 2016 and early 2017, respectively. “Did Thomas Brück actually find out about the financial difficulties on 9 November?” The victims ask themselves. Brück says yes – and emphasizes, as a club member and therefore as a private person, to have informed the club about the missing money.

As a representative of the city, would not he have had to report immediately after Krause’s “confession”? Finally, it is also about funding from the city in the amount of 32 000 €. No, because first of all, according to Brück’s position, the injured club is on the train. But it is in dissolution, a past week scheduled general meeting was canceled. In addition, Wolfgang Krause can not be found.

“Mr. Brück seems to want to bring himself out of the line of fire as a ‘connoisseur'”, so the reproach of Horst Papeler-Dütsch. He quotes from an SR interview on 28 December, in which Brück speaks of having already known about the problems in “early autumn”. Then you could possibly have pulled the ripcord. Brück speaks of a “mistake in time scheduling”. He had talked about the completely disorganized Krause only on the 9th of November and there was also talk of “10 000 Euro and maybe more”. In addition, recourse claims would certainly have arisen if the concerts had been canceled, argues Thomas Brück.

Wolfgang Krause can not be questioned. In the orphaned office, the post is stacked, according to club members. At the last concert of the festival he was still sighted, Papeler-Dütsch is sure of the Berlin agency ProTon. There could be no question of an immediate “descent”. Cultural Affairs Brück sees himself and the city at least not in the responsibility. They are looking for an “amicable settlement” but will not step in financially. The city will demand back the subsidies. The 32,000 euros will continue to be available to the jazz scene, affirmed Brück. You are in talks.

“The reputation of the festival is badly damaged,” says Papeler-Dütsch. For a fresh start, the legacies would first have to be settled. “Which artist would otherwise like to play in Saarbrücken?”