Minutes of the Extraordinary General Assembly

1. Determination of sections present

   Walter KONRAD (section leader of ABSV Fürstenfeld) establishes that all section leaders have been reached except for the Eisenerz section. In total, nine sections are present at the general assembly, of which two are participating via video conference. The remaining sections have sent their apologies.

2. Welcome and commemoration of the deceased

   Walter KONRAD welcomes all those present as well as guest President Mag. Helmut KOGLER (VÖPh) and thanks everyone for attending in such numbers. He asks for a solemn minute of silence for members who have passed away since the last general assembly, in particular Chairman Walter BAYERSCHMID.

3. Reports on the current personnel, organisational and financial situation of the ABSV central association

   Walter KONRAD presents the agenda using the PowerPoint presentation and explains the current situation of the ABSV from his perspective.

   1. On 3 August 2026, we section leaders received a letter from the Association of Austrian Philatelist Clubs (VÖPh) stating that chaotic conditions prevail in the ABSV following the passing of the chairman: no one from the board was responding, the circuit mailings had not been settled, and the membership fee to the VÖPh for 2026 had not been paid.
   2. On 11 August 2026, I received a call from the VÖPh president regarding this letter; the question was whether the membership fees of the ABSV sections had been paid.
   3. Email of 12 August 2026 from me to Kogler: Fürstenfeld has paid; we ask that the "Briefmarke" magazine continue to be sent to all ABSV members.
   4. Email of 30 August 2026 to Anita Belgasmi: discussion points for tomorrow's meeting.
   5. Monday, 31 August 2026: Meeting at Leithastraße 29
      KOGLER presents a letter from the Vienna Police Directorate dated 10 August 2026: our association is no longer capable of acting or authorised to sign. Furthermore, he presents the receipt for the transfer of EUR 35,048.36 to the ABSV on 13 August 2025 in the Pölz matter. The sons of Walter Bayerschmid hand over 12 carrier bags, which Anita BELGASMI, secretary, confirms with reservations. The "bookkeeping" is incomplete; there is no cash register. The brothers are informed that both the association and the ABSV have claims against the estate of Walter Bayerschmid, primarily because the association fee was not paid.
   6. Invitation to the extraordinary general assembly sent to the sections on 2 September 2026.
   7. Also on 2 September 2026, blocking of the two SPARDA accounts by Anita and myself; BAWAG confirmed this on 11 September 2026.
   8. 5 September 2026: the ABSV once again has its own website www.absv.at
   9. 9 September 2026, letter from VÖPh and ABSV to estate administrator Mag. Clemens Mezriczky: membership fee to VÖPh not transferred, private withdrawals without board resolution, consignors from the circuit mailing service not paid out.
   10. Contact with Wiener Wohnen: the lease for the property at Koppstraße 100 is active; notification of the arrears is still pending.
   11. Who has the key for Koppstraße (since found)?
       Messrs Erich MAYR and the then circuit mailing director Wilhelm MOLIN were named, but the sons of the former chairman are also said to have a key, as they picked up the computer from Koppstraße 100! (MOLIN has handed the key to the son of Mr Bayerschmid, according to an immediate call from Mr SCHELLNER.)
       Contact with Mr MAYR can be made through Christine STEYRER.
       These gentlemen are asked to be contacted so that Mr KONRAD can obtain the key and access to the premises is possible.
   12. There are currently 23 sections in total. A section cannot simply withdraw from the ABSV – only individual members can, since according to the statutes, sections are merely a geographic grouping of members.
       Regarding the ABSV section GROSSFELD LEOPOLDAU, it is proposed to hold the club day on Mondays from 1 pm in cooperation with BSV MERKUR / section AUGARTEN. Venue: the pensioners' club here in Leithastraße in the 20th district was accepted.
   13. Financial situation: two accounts at BAWAG identified so far, approx. EUR 5,000 at the last check; account activity on 27 August 2026, i.e. 7 weeks after the passing of the chairman, identified. Standing orders exist for a mobile phone, heating and electricity for Koppstraße 100.
   14. 37th and 38th calendar weeks: search for a new board. The following declare themselves willing: Walter Konrad as chairman, DI Attila Bándi as treasurer, and Gerhard Winter as secretary.
       A very lively discussion followed on the above points:
       Kurt ZAKAL and Harald RÖDER, originally treasurer and deputy treasurer under Chairman Bayerschmid, explained the situation at the time, noting that both resigned their positions after one year. They emphasised Bayerschmid's personality but said irreconcilable differences had arisen.
       Hannes FÜRNTRATT (ABSV Rottenmann) also reports on the situation. The general opinion was that the chairman's dementia should have been recognised, but nobody took responsibility for a vote of no confidence. General discussion on restoring calm between ABSV and the association.

4. Election of the new board

   • Motion regarding discharge of the old board. The motion (see appendix) by Walter KONRAD was presented and put forward for discussion and vote.

     A general heated discussion followed. Ing. Walter KAUFMANN, Klaus STÖGER, Hannes FÜRNTRATT and Mag. Helmut KOGLER spoke against it, saying it was not possible to discharge the board given the situation, not even conditionally. Hannes FÜRNTRATT then puts forward the more comprehensive motion to discharge the board.

     VOTE: rejected with 2 abstentions – the old board is thus not discharged. Walter KONRAD points out that the full discharge of the old board can only take place at a subsequent general assembly. This is, however, not a viable working basis. It is then established that the new board would have the right to discharge individual members of the old board after the accusations have been clarified.

   • The motion to elect the board (see appendix) is presented.

     It was asked whether there should be a secret ballot and whether a bloc vote on all three candidates should be held. The open election of all three candidates was unanimously approved.

     CHAIRMAN: Walter KONRAD

     TREASURER: DI Attila BÁNDI

     SECRETARY: Gerhard WINTER

     ELECTION VOTE: all three candidates presented were unanimously elected. The candidates accepted their election. Applause from those present. The newly elected chairman now takes over the chairing of the general assembly.

   • Call to all regarding deputies according to the statutes. The co-option is referred to the new board.

   • Election of auditors: the chairman asks the group for two persons to take on the role of auditors. Klaus STÖGER and Hannes FÜRNTRATT spontaneously volunteered.

   • Motion for honorary chairman and honorary member (see appendix)

     Mr Johann PELIKAN was proposed, as he has served the ABSV as a board member for decades and continues to do so.

     VOTE: unanimously approved!

     Walter KONRAD presents Johann PELIKAN with the resolution; general applause.

     Johann PELIKAN expressed his thanks and remarked that philately keeps you young and still brings joy!

5. Discussion on the reorganisation of the First Austrian Workers' Stamp Collectors' Club (ABSV central association)

   • The ABSV headquarters shall remain at Vienna 16 / Koppstraße 100! Tuesday, 1–5 pm is set as the office day. The headquarters is to be used for contact with the sections, for board meetings and as the seat of the main section. There is also a library with specialist books, catalogues and journals. The accessories trade could be reactivated and exchange days held. A new idea is an overnight service for members from the federal states.

   • The circuit mailing service of the ABSV is to be reactivated as soon as possible! Shipping and billing with the sections, as well as the submission of exchange booklets, will be activated at Koppstraße. The ABSV logo will be registered as a word and figurative mark with the Patent Office.

     Many circuit mailing booklets from the Bayerschmid holdings have already been assigned, but several are missing. The sections are asked to carry out a general review and report to headquarters!

     It was communicated via the video conference that ABSV section REUTTE transferred EUR 182.11 to the ABSV on 22 June 2026 for the circuit mailing booklets.

     Walter KONRAD reports on a telephone call with the former circuit mailing director Mag. Wilhelm MOLIN, who is conducting circuit mailings with ABSV booklets on his own account. President Mag. Helmut Kogler also takes the view that this is exclusively the ABSV's prerogative.

   • Auction service for members and estates. The description of complete collections by ABSV members is to be encouraged. These can be country collections, exhibition collections or top items. By establishing an online auction house or cooperating with an existing one, sales without consignment fees can be achieved.

   • Opening the ABSV to new collecting areas. Many sections already support coin collecting (numismatics). The ABSV should also be opened to collecting antiques and trading cards such as Pokémon. Hannes FÜRNTRATT demonstratively supports this proposal and gives examples of exchange days he has organised.

6. 100 years of ABSV in 2027

   1. Stamps: the goal would be the issue of a special postage stamp by Austrian Post, in addition to the club's miniature sheets (ME-3).
   2. Exhibition "100 Years of ABSV": documentation of special postmarks at Koppstraße or Getreidegasse.
   3. Celebration in a public venue at the postal administration with a historical lecture.
   4. Publication of a brochure
      Suggestions in this regard are welcome – please contact the ABSV board!

7. Any other business

   No proposals or motions were brought forward.

Walter KONRAD closed the general assembly at 7.45 pm and invited everyone to an informal get-together with refreshments.
The Secretary
Gerhard Winter, signed