The numerous press photographers and cameramen who came to the labor court quickly realized on Friday morning that the protagonists they were waiting for did not turn up.

Neither Jürgen Richter, the former managing director of the Frankfurt Workers' Welfare Organization (AWO), nor his wife Hannelore Richter, who led the district association in Wiesbaden but was also a special representative of the Frankfurt AWO, are brought to court.

And the other three defendants from the management team of the social association, who are now being tried, can also be represented by lawyers.

Alexander Juergs

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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The reason for the appointment: The Frankfurt AWO has sued its former management for damages.

Overall, the new AWO management demands more than two million euros from the previous management team.

The largest single item among them is a donation of more than 935,000 euros from the Frankfurt district association to those in Wiesbaden.

The current AWO management assumes that this money was unjustified.

The proceedings also deal with excessive legal fees and lump sums that are said to have been paid without consideration.

The plaintiffs speak of a "judge system" that plunged the association into a crisis.

The AWO has been under massive criticism since 2018: the former AWO officials around Jürgen Richter are accused of corruption, fraud and the payment of disproportionate salaries.

An amicable settlement will not be reached

The legal dispute over the individual aspects of the affair is likely to continue for years.

The charge against Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) for taking advantage is also part of the complex.

The city parliament asked him on Thursday with a large majority to resign from office.

Feldmann's own party, the SPD, is also demanding his resignation.

The appointment on Friday in the labor court is a so-called conciliation hearing.

Before the oral hearing begins, an attempt is made once more to reach an amicable settlement of the legal dispute.

But that doesn't happen, the differences between the warring parties are far too great for that.

The chamber now wants to announce on November 16 how the legal dispute will continue.