DAs expected, the Broadcasting Council of Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (RBB) has recalled director Patricia Schlesinger, who resigned a week ago. The required two-thirds majority of the broadcasting councils approved the corresponding motion by the chairwoman of the broadcasting council, Friederike von Kirchbach. Of the RBB confirmed the dismissal via Twitter: In its special session, the Broadcasting Council “removed Patricia Schlesinger from her position as artistic director with immediate effect”. Schlesinger was personally present. According to reports, she apologized to the employees of the RBB and defended her position. Next, according to the RBB, the board of directors must “complete the termination of the contract. It is also about details such as a possible severance payment or possible claims for damages by RBB against Patricia Schlesinger.
State politicians from Brandenburg and the German Association of Journalists, among others, had called for Schlesinger to be released without notice. Before the meeting, Erik Stohn, a member of the Broadcasting Council and Brandenburg SPD state politician, said he had the clear expectation that the supervisory body would take steps to immediately separate Schlesinger without severance pay.
In the submission by the Chair of the Broadcasting Council, Friederike von Kirchbach, it says: “The Broadcasting Council of the RBB recalls Patricia Schlesinger from her position as director of the RBB with immediate effect. The dismissal is due to reasons relating to Ms. Schlesinger that would justify an extraordinary termination of the employment contract by the RBB.” The reason for the immediate dismissal is “the settlement of entertainment costs for an invitation with dinner in Ms .2022 compared to the RBB”. This was reported as “necessary for work”, “although it was entirely or at least partially of a purely private nature”.
Patricia Schlesinger had resigned from her post with reference to her service contract. This – which she is said to have negotiated alone with the resigned Chairman of the Board of Directors Wolf-Dieter Wolf – provides for a “notice period” of six months in the event of a resignation. That would mean that Schlesinger would formally remain in office until the end of February 2023 or receive a severance payment. The Broadcasting Council apparently wants to prevent this. However, the body, which currently has 28 members, can only decide on Schlesinger’s dismissal without notice, which requires a two-thirds majority. The Board of Directors decides on the question of a severance payment. Schlesinger has been director since 2016. Only last year she was re-elected for a second term, which would have lasted until 2026.
