Schlesinger to receive pension from RBB's funds
### Ongoing Legal Dispute Between Patricia Schlesinger and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB)
In a series of court rulings, the legal dispute between Patricia Schlesinger, the former director-general of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), and the broadcaster regarding her pension benefits following her dismissal has seen partial victories for both parties.
As of July 2025, the Berlin District Court (Landgericht Berlin) has ordered RBB to pay Schlesinger one month's pension amount of €18,400. However, the court also found that Schlesinger owes RBB a separate amount, suggesting a partial settlement where each party has both liabilities and entitlements in the ongoing conflict.
The court's ruling does not provide clarity on whether the remainder of Schlesinger’s pension benefit—beyond the single monthly payment just ordered—has been addressed, nor whether RBB will be required to pay any further sums. The outcome reflects a split decision, and the matter may not yet be fully resolved, with both sides still contesting claims.
A separate legal dispute, not directly related to the pension benefits, appears to involve the Digital Media House project. However, no specific details or court rulings related to this project are available in the provided sources, and thus its legal status in relation to Schlesinger and RBB cannot be confirmed.
The pension dispute is not the only point of contention between the two parties. The total pension benefit Schlesinger is seeking is around 220,000 euros per year for the past three years and the future. The Regional Court ruled in favor of Schlesinger, awarding her a pension benefit of approximately 18,300 euros for January 2023. However, the payment of the full pension benefit remains uncertain, as no settlement has been reached.
The legal battle between Schlesinger and RBB is part of a wider scandal that rocked public broadcasting in the summer of 2022, involving allegations of waste and nepotism. The investigation into the RBB scandal, including against the former director, is still ongoing by the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office.
Schlesinger has consistently denied the allegations against her. The Regional Court's decision is not final, and an appeal to the Higher Regional Court is possible. Furthermore, RBB has won certain points in the trial, ordering Schlesinger to pay around 24,000 euros for breaches of duty related to the use of company cars and travel expenses.
The copyright for this article belongs to dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved. It is important to note that the civil trial at Berlin Regional Court is independent of the ongoing investigation by the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation into the RBB scandal includes allegations of luxury cars with massage seats, lavish intendant offices, dining at the intendant's home on the broadcaster's tab, business trips, allowances for executives, and a now-scrapped million-euro building project for the newsroom. A legal dispute concerning the planning of a digital media house was separated and will be tried separately.
In conclusion, the legal disputes between Schlesinger and RBB appear to be ongoing, with partial rulings but no final resolution on either the pension benefits or any potential related projects such as the Digital Media House. The amount for the additional breaches will be determined in a later decision. RBB estimates it at over 1.7 million euros. Upon reaching retirement age, there may be adjustments with any applicable company pension. The presumption of innocence applies in the ongoing investigation.
- The ongoing legal battle between Patricia Schlesinger and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) not only includes the dispute over her pension benefits but also extends to policy-and-legislation matters, such as the Digital Media House project, which remains unresolved.
- As the news about the legal fights between Schlesinger and RBB unfolds, it is clear that the pension benefits and potential related projects, like the Digital Media House, are still undergoing legislative negotiations and court proceedings, with both parties holding liabilities and entitlements.
