Magento – Multi-Store issues with loading some template files/skins

Be sure to set the default home page under Admin -> System -> Configuration -> Design -> Default Pages -> CMS Home Page. Change the Configuration Scope to each Store View and select the CMS pages that you've created for the home pages.

Edit:

Try this approach instead of .htaccess.

index.php

/* Store or website code */
$mageRunCode = isset($_SERVER['MAGE_RUN_CODE']) ? $_SERVER['MAGE_RUN_CODE'] : '';

/* Run store or run website */
$mageRunType = isset($_SERVER['MAGE_RUN_TYPE']) ? $_SERVER['MAGE_RUN_TYPE'] : 'store';


// New code 

switch($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']) {
    case 'www.dist.c*****ment.com ':
    case 'dist.c*****ment.com ':
        $mageRunCode = 'wholesale';
        $mageRunType = 'website';
    break;
}

// end of New code

Mage::run($mageRunCode, $mageRunType);

In regards to your second question:

I would avoid domain names with Umlauten - Full Stop.

If you were so free to purchase and use such a domain, I would also buy the domain without umlaute and redirect the umlaute-domain to the one without

eg: geldsüchtling.com => geldsuechtling.com

this one without any umlaute should handle all your functionality andhost your site - the other is simply a 'bonus' domain for your business which should NOT handle or host anything, just redirect.

Umlaut support in domain names is pretty bad and i can not recommend it - and yes, I have a few stores on domains where we have done the above because actually using such a domain is a right pain.