Status: 25/08/2023, 16:54 p.m.
By: Johannes Thoma, Katja Kraft
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A huge success: Daniel J. Schreiber (left) brought Otto Waalkes' works of art to the Buchheim Museum. Here are the two of them on the day of the exhibition opening. © Ralf Ruder
After their immediate dismissal, Buchheim museum director Daniel J. Schreiber and press officer Claudia Lamas Cornejo filed a lawsuit. The foundation's board of directors makes serious accusations against Schreiber.
Anyone who could have imagined that this would happen one day really needed a lot of imagination. Ironically, Daniel J. Schreiber, the highly praised head of the Buchheim Museum of Imagination in Bernried (Weilheim-Schongau district), was dismissed without notice. On August 11 – his 58th birthday. As reported, Walter Schön, the chairman of the board of the Buchheim Foundation, did not publicly give a reason for the dismissal. From museum circles, it was said that the "industrial peace" had been "significantly disturbed" in recent months. About two weeks later, Daniel J. Schreiber himself has now spoken out. In a personal statement obtained by our newspaper, he said he was "sad" not to be able to continue his "beloved work at the moment".
Differing opinions: Walter Schön, Chairman of the Board of the Buchheim Foundation (left), and Daniel J. Schreiber. © Reitinger
He clearly rejects the accusation of having disturbed the peace of the company. "I can assure you that the peace of the company was not disturbed on my part. Collegial and appreciative interaction is very important to me." He is also astonished to have learned about the reasons for his dismissal only from the newspaper and from third parties. "Even in response to repeated inquiries from the lawyer I hired, no reasons have been given for the dismissals to date."
Terminations? Plural? Yes, because in fact, on August 11, not only Schreiber was dismissed out of the blue, but also press officer Claudia Lamas Cornejo received a letter of dismissal. Unlike Schreiber, who has been successfully running the house for ten years, Cornejo only joined the team last year. And since then, according to Schreiber, he has acted "extremely profitably" for the Buchheim Museum. "With her friendly, open manner, she improved the working atmosphere considerably. In the press and social media, she ensured considerable increases in the visibility of the Buchheim Museum. A large part of the success of our exhibitions is due to their dedicated PR work," praises the fired museum director.
Brought new ideas to Bernried: press officer Claudia Lamas Cornejo, doing yoga on the museum lawn – a program she offered. © Julia Rejmer
Schreiber also looks back on his own work "with pride" in his statement. "During my tenure, our team has succeeded in keeping visitor attendance stable at almost doubled levels." He refers to successful exhibitions on Chagall, Picasso, Hundertwasser, Janosch and Paula Modersohn-Becker; commemorates the endowment of the Joseph Hierling Collection. "Especially recently, the museum has benefited from my initiatives," he emphasizes. And reminds us that with the exhibition "Brücke + Blauer Reiter", the Buchheim Museum was able to surpass the visitor level from pre-Corona times in 2022 - in fact, a success that not many museum directors can boast. He also mentions that the grandiose Otto Waalkes show, which runs until November 5, 2023, is triggering record demand.
The foundation of the Buchheim Museum raises serious allegations against Schreiber
Foundation board member Walter Schön does not want to deny the long-standing museum director this positive balance. "In ten years, Director Schreiber has developed the Museum of Imagination with great success. That's why we would have liked to continue with him into the future," Schön emphasizes when asked. Confronted with Schreiber's statement, however, he emphasizes: "A separation due to serious misconduct, especially in the management of the employees, was inevitable." The further justification is fierce: "The conduct, in particular the unequal treatment of employees for personal reasons, was contrary to duty and had led to a considerable disturbance of the peace of the company. We could not accept this in the interest of all employees." In museum circles, it is said that Cornejo was given preferential treatment by the boss over long-serving employees.
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Daniel J. Schreiber and Claudia Lamas Cornejo are suing against their dismissals
Schreiber and Cornejo do not want to leave these accusations as they are. "We both filed an action for protection against dismissal," he writes. They don't want to leave the house, but hope for a solution with which everyone in the Buchheim Museum can continue to work well and successfully. The aim of their lawsuit: "the continuation of the employment relationship".
Whether this will happen is questionable. "Mr. Schreiber's conduct will be honored by the court as part of the work process," Walter Schön puts it. And the question is how harmonious joint work can be in the future, when courts have already had to decide on its continued existence. It would be desirable for the House to pull together all those involved. Similarly competent and committed bosses do not grow on trees. Not even in the garden of the Museum of Imagination...