Administrative assistance from Offenbach came promptly.

At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, Offenbach Mayor Felix Schwenke received a call from his Frankfurt colleague Peter Feldmann.

The SPD politician Feldmann, who was under enormous pressure at home because of various allegations, asked his party friend to welcome the evening reception “Frankfurt meets Davos” at the World Economic Forum alone.

Feldmann gave a statement scheduled for the following morning as the reason.

That's why he had to return home, said Schwenke of the FAZ on the sidelines of the reception.

That wasn't a problem for Schwenke: "I can't complain about the way Peter Feldmann was treated, it was always professional between us."

Sven Astheimer

Responsible editor for corporate reporting.

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And so, a few hours later, Offenbach's mayor opened the event of the Euro Finance Group and Frankfurt/Rhein-Main GmbH, which is responsible for regional location marketing, in the Swiss Alps.

A small consolation for all Frankfurters: Schwenke was born in Frankfurt, only later did he change sides of the Main.

And just two years ago he said in the same place that the two cities had grown so close together that he felt like a Frankfurter anyway.

At the microphone, he explained the change in line-up to the audience as "related to Frankfurt" before praising the Rhine-Main economic region as a worthwhile investment destination for business partners around the world.

A video broke the camel's back

Even Feldmann's trip to Switzerland was dubious and controversial, as he was heavily criticized at home because of the public prosecutor's investigation into the AWO affair and his behavior when receiving Eintracht im Römer after the European Cup victory.

He had promised restraint in public appearances.

A video that gave rise to the accusation of sexist degradation of flight attendants on the flight to the final in Seville in the face of a dumb saying was the straw that broke the camel's back at home.

Even in his own party, the voices for Feldmann's resignation from office were now increasing.

The organizers of the regional Frankfurt/Rhein-Main GmbH put their supervisory board chairman Feldmann in a double predicament: first with the rigid will to travel to Switzerland and want to open the event, then later with the abrupt cancellation.

Managing Director Eric Menges confirmed the course of events to the FAZ, but did not want to comment further.

Hardly any of the guests wanted to comment publicly on Feldmann's non-appearance.

However, behind closed doors, displeasure was clearly audible from all sides.

One of those present called the process unworthy.

Another said, however, that he only decided to come shortly after Feldmann's cancellation became known.

Otherwise he would have stayed away from the event.

A pretty clear indication that

So it was up to Offenbach's first citizen Schwenke to push the evening properly.

Will he at least adjust to the role as temporary head of the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main supervisory board if Feldmann announces his resignation the next day?

He really hadn't given it any thought, said Schwenke with a laugh.