Kassel techno club Graf Karl faces closure over COVID-19 aid repayment

The techno club Graf Karl in Kassel, Germany, is facing an existential crisis following a demand from the state of Hessen to repay more than 46,000 euros in COVID-19 bridging aid. The club, which opened in 2021 under strict pandemic regulations, is operated by Willy Bautzmann and Tim Marth through their company, Panoptikum.

The operators stated that they must either raise the funds, close the business, or file for insolvency. Although the owners had filed a lawsuit with the administrative court to contest the repayment demand, they have since withdrawn the legal action due to the high costs and perceived lack of success in a prolonged proceeding.