Lopavent

Lopavent GmbH was a German event-management company based in Berlin, best known as the organiser and promoter of the Love Parade, the large electronic-music street festival that originated in the German capital. The company was created in 2006 when Rainer Schaller acquired and renamed the insolvent PlanetCom GmbH, which had previously been the sole general partner of the Love Parade under Ralf Regitz. Lopavent was a wholly owned subsidiary of Schaller's RSG Group GmbH, and Schaller served as its managing director and sole shareholder from January 2006 until his death. Under Lopavent, the Love Parade was staged in several German cities. The 2009 edition planned for Bochum was cancelled on safety grounds, and the company announced that it would examine other host cities, aiming to return in the RUHR.2010 European Capital of Culture year. In October 2009, representatives of Lopavent, the city of Duisburg and Wirtschaftsförderung metropoleruhr GmbH agreed that the 2010 Love Parade could be held in Duisburg, with the former freight yard near the main station identified as the venue. The 24 July 2010 Love Parade in Duisburg ended in catastrophe: 21 people died and at least 652 visitors were injured. The event triggered massive criticism of Lopavent. The company's website was replaced by a static page with a mourning forum and chaplaincy services, and the day after the disaster managing director Rainer Schaller stated that there would be no further Love Parade. Lopavent had taken out organiser liability insurance with the German subsidiary of Axa for the 2010 event, with total coverage of 10 million euros, split into 7.5 million euros for personal injury and 2.5 million euros for property damage. After the disaster, Lopavent GmbH entered liquidation. The company was active between 2006 and 2020. Even after liquidation proceedings began, the affiliated Love Parade Berlin GmbH Medien-, Produktions-, Verwertungs- und Veranstaltungsgesellschaft remained registered in the commercial register as up to date and without insolvency proceedings.

Lopavent GmbH traces its origins to PlanetCom GmbH, a company that until 2006 was the sole general partner of the Love Parade under Ralf Regitz. PlanetCom became insolvent and was acquired and renamed by Rainer Schaller in 2006. Schaller became the managing director and sole shareholder of Lopavent from January 2006 until his death. Lopavent was a 100% subsidiary of RSG Group GmbH. Alongside Lopavent, Schaller also controlled Love Parade Berlin GmbH Medien-, Produktions-, Verwertungs- und Veranstaltungsgesellschaft and LoveParade.net GmbH, the latter having merged with Love Parade Berlin GmbH Medien-, Produktions-, Verwertungs- und Veranstaltungsgesellschaft. The company's core activity was organising and promoting the Love Parade. The 2009 edition planned for Bochum was cancelled for safety reasons. Lopavent stated in a press release: "After months of intensive discussions and multiple reviews, we have accepted Bochum's request not to hold the Love Parade there. [...] The challenges are increasing due to the enormous success of recent years. We will examine the following cities and local conditions in detail and we want to be back on the starting line in the RUHR.2010 year - European Capital of Culture in the Ruhr metropolis." In October 2009, representatives of Lopavent, the city of Duisburg and Wirtschaftsförderung metropoleruhr GmbH met and concluded that the Love Parade of summer 2010 could be organised in Duisburg. The future site of the event, the former freight yard of Duisburg near the main station, was considered at that time. The landowner, aurelis Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, also imagined this site as the venue for the 2010 Love Parade. The 24 July 2010 Love Parade in Duisburg became the scene of an incident that claimed the lives of 21 people. At least 652 visitors were injured over the entire duration of the event. After the accident, massive criticism was directed at Lopavent. The company's website was replaced by a static page with a mourning forum and chaplaincy offers. Managing director Rainer Schaller declared the day after the catastrophe that there would be no more Love Parade. For the 2010 Love Parade, Lopavent had taken out organiser liability insurance with the German subsidiary of Axa. The total coverage of 10 million euros was divided into 7.5 million euros for personal injury and 2.5 million euros for property damage. The company was active between 2006 and 2020 and was in liquidation. However, even after the opening of the liquidation proceedings of Lopavent GmbH, the company Love Parade Berlin GmbH Medien-, Produktions-, Verwertungs- und Veranstaltungsgesellschaft remained registered in the commercial register as up to date and without insolvency proceedings.

• Rainer Schaller becomes managing director and sole shareholder of Lopavent GmbH (formerly PlanetCom GmbH).

• Love Parade planned in Bochum is cancelled for safety reasons.

• Lopavent, the city of Duisburg and Wirtschaftsförderung metropoleruhr GmbH agree that the 2010 Love Parade can be held in Duisburg.

• Love Parade disaster in Duisburg: 21 dead, at least 652 injured; Rainer Schaller announces no further Love Parade.

• Lopavent GmbH ceases operations; company in liquidation.

Organiser and promoter of the Love Parade, one of the world's largest electronic music events.

• Love Parade

  Large electronic music street festival organised and promoted by Lopavent.

• Love Parade disaster

Read more

1. 1Lopaventfr.wikipedia.org
2. 2Lopaventwikidata.org