Youth Theater in Crisis: Accusations and Power Games Revealed!

Youth Theater in Crisis: Accusations and Power Games Revealed!

At the center of a violent media storm is the theater director Youth Theater, who defends himself against serious allegations. Since his appointment in 2002, Gernot Birkmeir has always had his contract extended, but now feels he has been treated unfairly by reporting on employee complaints. These allegations date back to 2021 and include offensive comments, pressure and an alleged “system of fear and abuse of power.” Birkmeir emphasizes that he had already announced his voluntary exit in October 2024 and speaks of a “construction of connections” that is affecting the integrity of many employees.

In the focus of criticism

The reporting and the connection to similar allegations against other theater directors, such as Herbert Föttinger from Theater in der Josefstadt, led Birkmeir to suspect clear journalistic misconduct. He calls for fair investigations and criticizes that circulation figures are more important for some media than balanced reporting. In an Ö1 interview he said: “I think fair investigations are needed instead of hasty convictions.” This is happening in a context in which the City of Vienna emphasizes that it has sought discussions as quickly as possible in 2021 to clarify the allegations. The external company “Health Consult” was brought in to improve the working atmosphere. Birkmeir, however, makes it clear that there was “no specific reason” for the involvement and that this was merely viewed as an internal company decision.

The board of directors of the Theater der Jugend is currently preparing a new tender for the directorship. These developments highlight the tense conditions within the institution and the challenges that the theater landscape faces in relation to integrity and working relationships.