Autohaus König Owes €212 Million as Its Boss Spends Weekend in Rabat
As his car dealership group faces a severe financial crisis in Germany, Dirk Steeger chose to spend a weekend in Rabat. The private trip, confirmed by people close to him, has drawn attention from the German press as 1,200 employees and thousands of customers await answers.
A stroll near Bab des Oudayas in the Moroccan capital, accompanied by his partner and several friends. It was in this setting that Dirk Steeger, one of the executives of German automotive group Autohaus König, was photographed during a recent stay in Rabat. The trip was reportedly organized to mark a birthday in his circle of friends.
The photographs were mentioned in an investigation by German daily Welt, published on November 3. A spokesperson confirmed the trip, adding that the executive had remained reachable over the weekend. Dirk Steeger declined the newspaper’s questions about the details of his stay.
The trip comes as Autohaus König is undergoing insolvency proceedings. The company is one of Germany’s largest car dealerships. According to financial documents cited by Welt, it had more than 212 million euros in due debts when it applied to open proceedings on August 26.
Thousands of customers are waiting for their cars
The crisis affects a group that employs around 1,200 people at 82 locations, mainly in Berlin and eastern Germany. The company sells vehicles including Renault, Dacia and Opel models. On September 1, the Charlottenburg court appointed Rainer Eckert as provisional administrator to organize the continuation of operations and seek a solution for creditors.
For customers, the consequences are already tangible. According to estimates reported by the German press, between 3,000 and 4,000 buyers are still waiting for vehicles they have paid for in full or in part. The dealership’s financial difficulties also halted sales for several weeks.
Management and the administrator are now trying to save the group’s operations. In an official statement, the company confirmed that it would continue operating despite the insolvency proceedings. Several potential buyers have come forward.
At the end of October, agreements with Renault and Stellantis paved the way for new deliveries. The contracts of customers who have already paid money are to be reviewed individually to determine which vehicles can be handed over to them. It was against this backdrop that photographs of Dirk Steeger’s stay in Rabat fueled questions in the German press.
