A bitter dispute has erupted between two millionaires over the substantial costs incurred during a failed rescue attempt of a humpback whale, known as Timmy, which ultimately died. Horse racing entrepreneur Karin Walter-Mommert is seeking to recoup €500,000 from fellow donor Walter Gunz, co-founder of the electronics chain MediaMarkt, who she claims has only paid €300,000 of his agreed share.
Timmy, a female humpback whale, became the subject of intense public attention in March when it repeatedly became stranded off the German Baltic coast. A consortium of volunteers and wealthy individuals, including Walter-Mommert and Gunz, embarked on an ambitious €2 million rescue mission. This effort proceeded against the advice of experts who warned that such attempts could be considered animal cruelty and that the whale was unlikely to survive.
Two weeks after being transferred to a specialized barge and released into the North Sea, Timmy's carcass was discovered washed ashore on the Danish island of Anholt. The planned cost of the operation was €2 million, and Walter-Mommert alleges that she and Gunz had agreed she would cover 60% of the expenses while Gunz would pay the remainder. However, she claims Gunz has only transferred €300,000, less than half of his projected contribution.
Walter-Mommert expressed profound disappointment with Gunz's refusal to transfer the remaining funds, stating that he had encouraged her to proceed with the rescue without closely monitoring the expenses. "During the rescue, Walter always said to me, 'Do it, do it, do it'," she recounted. "I asked if he wanted to see the bills or have them sent to him, but he didn’t. Now he has simply broken off contact. He is hiding behind his lawyer and leaving me to deal with the bill."
Representatives for Gunz have denied that a firm agreement was reached regarding the cost-sharing. His lawyer, Joachim Steinhöfel, accused Walter-Mommert of incurring costs without Gunz's knowledge or approval. "Ms Walter-Mommert acted as though she had a blank cheque from Mr Gunz," Steinhöfel stated. "There was never any such thing. There wasn’t even an agreement. She arbitrarily issued contracts that Mr Gunz knew nothing about, and which he had neither commissioned nor approved. Despite this, he voluntarily contributed €300,000. There will be no further payments."
Prior to the rescue, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) deemed any attempts to save Timmy inadvisable, citing the whale's compromised condition. Experts noted that Timmy appeared lethargic, displayed blister-like blemishes, and had parts of a fishing net in its mouth. Despite warnings from institutions like the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund that rescue attempts would be futile and amounted to cruelty, the 33-foot whale was moved. Timmy was found dead on May 14. Following the discovery, the whale's blubber was processed for use in biodiesel and fertilizer.
Walter-Mommert is a successful racehorse owner and entrepreneur. Her husband, Ulrich Mommert, is an Austrian businessman who made his fortune from the sale of the ZKW Group. Gunz, who co-founded MediaMarkt in 1979, is known for the company's slogan "Ich bin doch nicht blöd" (I'm not stupid). After leaving MediaMarkt in 2000, he became a consultant and was listed among Germany's wealthiest individuals.
