Mateschitz passed away – farewell to the bull: obituary of “Krone”

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“He was a blessing to the country,” people in his homeland say. “We will remain respectfully and lovingly associated with him,” Red Bull said at farewell: Dietrich “Didi” Mateschitz is dead. An obituary of “Krone”.

The rumor had been circulating for weeks – time and again, supposedly well-informed circles wanted to know that Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz had passed away. The messages were never confirmed. Until late Saturday evening, information went to Red Bull employees and a little later to the media: “We have to inform you that Dietrich Mateschitz passed away today.” The message immediately went around the world – one of the most important Austrians is dead!

Recipe for Red Bull discovered by accident in Thailand
His company headquarters is split in Salzburg: in the architecturally world-famous volcanic cones in Fuschl, in the elliptical Hangar 7 at the airport, in the historic Rainer barracks in Elsbethen and in the mediators at the stadium in Wals.

At the center of this geographic circle is the hospital in Mülln, which Dietrich Mateschitz has generously supported for years. It was founded in 1704 by Prince Archbishop Thun. When the critical extent of his illness could be determined, Mateschitz did not fly to any clinic in the world, but relied on Paracelsus University in Salzburg, which cooperates with Germany’s Heidelberg University.

That’s where it started decades ago: after a motorcycle accident in the African desert, surgeon Herbert Resch operated on the leg of the Red Bull founder. Mateschitz recognized the weaknesses of a more provincially oriented hospital left to its own devices: the PMU, the Paracelsus Medical University, had found its patron. Doctors even come to Salzburg from the American non-profit “Mayo” clinic.

“He was a blessing to the country,” say the people of his homeland of Styria, where Mateschitz flew in as an economic emergency doctor and revived the Österreich-Ring, the gastronomy and countless bankrupt hotels and castles. Like gems on a string of pearls, he linked endangered but culturally vital companies in the Ausseer Land in his private group of companies. Finally a dilapidated hotel on the Prebersee in Lungau. The instructions for this came from the hospital bed.

The Styrian: Mateschitz was born on May 20, 1944 in Sankt Marein in the Mürztal. He studies at the University of World Trade in Vienna and after two dozen semesters he graduates with a degree in business administration. Not relevant to him. His marketing genius has given him wings.

An advertising job at a toothpaste company does not satisfy him. During a trip, he accidentally learns a secret recipe and comes into contact with the Thai family Yoovidhya. 49 percent for Mateschitz, the rest for the partners in the Far East. 1987 Red Bull is founded. The magic potion.

No bank wants to give him a loan. The Salzburg Spänglers trust him – and will remain his partners in the long run.

Extreme sports as marketing campaigns
Mateschitz sails like a salesman through the Salzburg Lake District and tries to sell the 135 millimeter small blue-silver can. Robert Hohensinn helps him with the first steps – he becomes General Manager of Red Bull. By 2021, 9.8 billion Red Bull cans will be sold worldwide.

Mateschitz recognizes what marketing brings: Extreme athletes surf the waves and dive into the depths, the world’s best drop from the Falkensteinwand into Lake Wolfgang, boarders sprint over hotel balconies in Bad Gastein, follow Formula 1, ski races and football, he makes Felix Baumgartner jumps from space. This event alone brings in millions of dollars in advertising. No one around the world can avoid Red Bull reporting anymore.

You have to earn envy: The danger of the caffeinated drink is discussed. Mateschitz sees it as the doctor Paracelsus once did: the dose makes the poison.

Heinz Kinigadner’s son dies in a motorcycle accident: Mateschitz establishes the “Wings for Life” foundation. She will conduct research into spinal cord paralysis. Criticism here too: Red Bull sends the athletes on dangerous adventures and then has them treated in the Swiss clinic.

Help for people in need under one condition
Mateschitz remains fearless and continues to change a lot: football coaches stand on the edge of the field in dark suits, he creates a center in Salzburg for talents from all over the world, the top stars are sold at high prices, profit of 90 million euros in one year alone.

His toughness often seems merciless: when he heard about the creation of a works council on his ServusTV, he immediately closed the station. The head of the Salzburg Chamber of Labor comes to Hangar 7, exercises his knees and hundreds of jobs are saved.

Mateschitz flies a soldier with leukemia after Chernobyl and his family to Salzburg for treatment. He maintains his own fund that supports residents of Salzburg in need. Only one condition: no one is allowed to tell anything about it.

His favorite places? Maybe his hotel resort in the Fiji Islands, but he would much rather have the farm in Maria Alm. Home was the most important thing to him.

The son. Mark Mateschitz. Fully shielded. He was allowed to see the light of day for the first time at the beer tap in the newly established brewery in Styria Thalheim and he tapped the beer keg together with the then governor Schützenhöfer. Mark turns 30 next year. The next cop.

A gifted young man. The world famous father the absolute marketing genius. The super smart mom, Anita Gerhardter, athlete, ski instructor, director of the “Wings for Life” foundation, well connected.

Dietrich Mateschitz is dead: Austria has lost its most successful entrepreneur.

Hans Peter Hasenohrl

Source: Krone

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