[ad_1]
A 138-page report by the Court of Auditors finds “serious deficiencies” in the Vienna Army History Museum.
A report from the Court of Auditors provides disturbing findings, which was investigated by the Army History Museum. “The armed forces perform important tasks, but managing a museum is not one of them,” says SPÖ cultural spokesperson Thomas Drozda. The times of the complaints, however, fall during the terms of office of Defense Ministers Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ) and Mario Kunasek (FPÖ).
Possible criminal offenses also came to light. It is particularly notable that the museum has not fully recorded its inventory since the end of the war in 1945. Thus, according to point 37 of the report, three “demilitarized” assault rifles still disappeared. Another could not be found at the moment, but was later discovered in the traditional room of the Wallenstein barracks.
Egon Schiele’s Letters and the Tank Bunker
The “deficit” also includes three letters from Egon Schiele from the spring of 1918. This was already known in 2016, but was not reported to management. In general, the house “does not have a complete view of its collection.”
In return, however, there were also findings that no one knew where or how they entered the museum properties. This includes several bunkers full of tank spare parts at the Zwölfaxing depot. The management only learned of its existence from the Court of Auditors.
Doubtful purchases and sick leave
If the average sick leave for employed Austrians is around 12.6 days per year, this value in the HGM from 2014 to 2018 is between 27 and 52. It was also criticized for purchases. The HGM purchased a total of 54 objects owned by the director and his deputy.
Responsible Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) identified “an enormous need for action” and announced that they would not stand idly by. Therefore, the management of the museum is also tendered.
