Berlin collector Torsten Broehan convicted to pay EUR 6.5 millions
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Court decision: Berlin collector Torsten Broehan convicted to pay EUR 6.5 millions to art consultant Stephan Balzer.
The Berlin district court has convicted collector Torsten Bröhan to pay EUR 5.5 millions (plus interests accumulated since 2014) to the management and art consultant Stephan Balzer. Case No.: 28 O 14/14; the decision is not legally effective yet.
For years, Berlin collector Torsten Bröhan, son of museum donator Karl Bröhan (1921-2000), acrimoniously fought against the entitlement to commission on the part of his former consultant Stephan Balzer, founder and CEO of Berlin communication agency Red Onion.
The Berlin district court now determined in its decision that Balzer arranged the purchase of Bröhan's collection of design classics, worth EUR 55 millions, by the Chinese city of Hangzhou in 2010/2011.
Bröhan legally contested Balzer's successful activity and asserted that the acquisition was primarily based on his own contacts and actions. In 2014, Balzer sued Bröhan in the form of multistage proceedings for payment of the contractually agreed commission of 10% of the purchase price.
The Berlin dictrict court determined in its final decision of April 3rd, 2019 that the contacts provided by Balzer were causative for the contract of purchase and that Bröhan is obliged to pay the agreed commission fee plus interests accumulated to the amount of more than EUR 1 million. Bröhan's lawyer announced at the court trial on April 3rd, 2019 that his client will appeal.
Bröhan's collection comprises approx. 7,000 artifacts and is exhibited at the China Design Museum of Bauhaus Collection of the Chinese Academy of Art, Hangzhou.
Stephan Balzer, red onion GmbH, Schönhauser Allee 10/11, 10119, Berlin; Tel: +49-30-726 26 75-0; E-Mail: info@redonion.de
