Overview
- The Berlin labor court judgment is now final, obliging RBB to resume payments to Claudia Nothelle and reimburse amounts previously withheld.
- The case carried an immediate disputed value of roughly €500,000, with lifetime costs reported at about €4.1 million based on average life expectancy.
- RBB halted the Ruhegeld in December 2023 following governance turmoil linked to the Patricia Schlesinger affair and attempted to claw back payouts.
- In court, RBB argued the clause overcompensated Nothelle, but judges noted the broadcaster failed to prove such terms are uncommon across ARD and ZDF.
- Nothelle left RBB after seven years in 2016 and now teaches at Hochschule Magdeburg‑Stendal, while legal commentators say RBB could seek recourse against former leadership.