Overview
- Lichter, in a new Zeit-Magazin interview published Thursday, says he once considered crashing his motorcycle to trigger a life insurance payout.
- He traces the Oldiethek’s near-ruin to betrayal by a confidant, chaotic bookkeeping, and tax bills he could not pay.
- After recognizing the plan as a terrible idea, he chose to fight, selling possessions with his wife Nada, using her savings, dismissing staff, and working around the clock.
- Guests and even strangers later pitched in at the restaurant and donated dishes, which he credits with helping the business survive.
- Earlier hardships, including the loss of a child and serious illness in his twenties, frame his reflection that he likes who he is today as the long-time host of ZDF’s Bares für Rares.