KHM Director General Jonathan Fine cleared of mobbing and bossing charges

The accusations had been brought by the former director of Ambras Castle, Veronika Sandbichler, who led the site for many years. According to Fine's reconstruction, the controversy arose from divergences of a substantive nature: "Die langjährige Direktorin habe im Zuge von inhaltlichen Auseinandersetzungen das 'Dienstverhältnis beenden wollen'", the Director General explained, recalling the origin of the affair which has had wide resonance in the media in recent months.

Fine nevertheless denied that Sandbichler had put forward reasonable financial demands: "Sandbichler habe dann 'drei Jahresgehälter wollen' und als sie diese 'nicht bekommen hat', habe sie 'diese mediale Geschichte losgetreten'", he reported. The Director General then added that numerous of the accusations made by the former director did not hold up to scrutiny: "Zahlreiche von Ex-Schloss-Ambras-Direktorin Veronika Sandbichler aufgestellte Vorwürfe hätten sich 'nicht aufrechterhalten lassen.'"

The relaunch of Ambras Castle

The Director General specified that the legal expert opinion confirmed his perception of the facts: "Er habe 'gewusst, wie ich gehandelt habe', die rechtliche Beurteilung habe nunmehr seine 'Wahrnehmung bestätigt'", Fine declared. At the same time, however, he wanted to acknowledge that the outcome reveals room for improvement in internal management: "Zum einen, dass man 'besser in der Kommunikation' werden müsse", he admitted, adding that the result of the assessment should not be read as a sort of free pass.

"Das Ergebnis der unabhängigen Beurteilung der Causa sehe er jedenfalls nicht als 'Freibrief, sondern als Verpflichtung'", Fine underlined. The Director General also expressed regret for the evolution of the relationship with his former collaborator: "Gleichzeitig betonte der Generaldirektor, dass es ihm 'leid tue', dass es mit Sandbichler 'diese Richtung genommen hat': 'Es tut mir leid, dass sie der Verlauf menschlich und beruflich schmerzt'". The new management position of the Ambras Castle museum site can in any case only be advertised once an agreement is reached with Sandbichler: "Man könne die neue Leitung des Museumsstandorts auf Schloss Ambras, das zum KHM-Museumsverband gehört, jedenfalls erst ausschreiben, sobald es mit Sandbichler 'eine Lösung gibt'", Fine specified.

The coral exhibition

The relaunch of Ambras Castle also passes through a repositioning of the cultural offering. Fine indicated the desire to create "ein 'vielfältigeres Angebot für das Tiroler und internationale Publikum'". The castle near Innsbruck will have to be enhanced as a site of significant historical importance: "Das Schloss bei Innsbruck solle zudem 'als Schloss mit großer historischer Bedeutung attraktiviert werden'", he explained. Currently the facility records about 100,000 visitors per year, a figure that the Director General intends to increase significantly, also in light of the regional tourist context: "Nicht zuletzt angesichts der florierenden Umgebung in Tirol", he underlined.

The first step of this path is represented by the exhibition "Das Blut der Medusa – die Korallen von Schloss Ambras", which opens on 26 June. "Alles Korallen Den 'Anfang' will man jedenfalls mit der Korallen-Ausstellung machen", reads the presentation. The guiding thread of the exhibition, Fine explained, embraces a very broad timeframe: "Diese spanne den Bogen 'von antiken Erzählungen über frühneuzeitliche Wunderkammern bis zu aktuellen Fragen von Klimawandel und Artensterben.'" The starting point is the coral collection of the Tyrolean prince Archduke Ferdinand II.

About fifty objects from the Ambras collections will be exhibited together with selected loans and scientific-naturalistic contributions. Among the highlights of the exhibition are the two famous "Korallenkabinette" of Ferdinand II: "Zu sehen gibt es vieles: Von Einblicken in die Unterwasserwelt über naturwissenschaftliche Exponate und Hands-on-Stationen aus dem Naturhistorischen Museum bis hin zum 'Highlight': Zwei berühmten 'Korallenkabinette' Erzherzog Ferdinands II." Space will also be given to the contemporary: "Ordentlich 'gestreift' wird auch die Jetzt-Zeit: Etwa mit einer Videovorführung, in der Versuche zum Wiederaufbau von Korallenriffen gezeigt werden." Fine finally wished to thank his team: "Ohne ihr Engagement wäre diese Ausstellung nicht entstanden", he concluded.

Future prospects for the KHM

The Director General has overall drawn a line of continuity between the defence of his position in the controversy with Sandbichler and the relaunch phase of the Tyrolean site. While reaffirming the legitimacy of his actions, Fine acknowledged the need to improve internal communication and to transform the clearance into a stimulus to face the future challenges of the museum. The appointment of a new manager for Ambras Castle and the strengthening of the offering represent the next concrete steps announced by the manager.

The judicial and administrative affair that has involved the KHM in recent months thus intersects with a phase of strategic rethinking of the museum presence in Tyrol. Ambras Castle, with its historical collections and its architectural heritage, is now presented as a hub to be relaunched both in terms of research and public enjoyment, with a view to strengthening the Tyrolean identity of the Museumsverband.