Florian Teichtmeister has been accused of downloading around 76,000 abusive documents between 2008 and 2021, most of which victimized children aged 7 to 14. He also manipulated some of these files, using video editing techniques and collages.
The actor arrived early at the court, which was closely monitored by the police to prevent incidents with protesters advocating for child protection. Prosecutor Julia Kalmar has requested a prison sentence, emphasizing that “consumers fuel the market, even if Florian Teichtmeister did not assault a child himself.”
The film “Corsage,” in which Teichtmeister starred, was a success in 2022 and was screened at numerous film festivals. However, following the scandal, the actor was dismissed from the prestigious Burgtheater national theater in Austria, and the public radio and television broadcaster ORF announced that they will no longer collaborate with him.
This case has sparked debates in Austria regarding the response of the cultural community and has led to proposals for revising the Penal Code. The government intends to increase penalties for such crimes, with the possibility of a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for producing pornographic materials involving minors.
