Every now and then the reality is more cinematic than a film. Who the multi-part Amazon documentary BILD.Power.Germany? saw last year, got an insight into the sometimes surreal conditions in one of Germany’s best-known media houses: Wild editorial conferences, pals with high-ranking politicians, a lot of shouting – and above all, always the bossy editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt. Now it is clear: This film was more real than you might think, and is now finding its shameful sequel as a crime thriller.
As early as March of this year, Reichelt’s chair wobbled considerably after being in one Spiegel-Article was accused of abuse of power and drug use in the workplace. The 41-year-old is said to have used his position for relationships with young employees. Reichelt rejected the allegations, but Axel Springer Verlag initiated compliance proceedings and released Reichelt for two weeks. This later admitted that professional and private relationships were mixed up. So the allegations were initially off the table.
Now the aftershock followed: For months, an investigative team from Ippen-Verlag investigated further allegations against Julian Reichelt. Publisher Dirk Ippen himself belongs to one of the largest newspaper groups in Germany, including the Munich Mercury, the Frankfurter Rundschau and belong to many regional newspapers. A few days before the planned publication, the publisher himself prevented the publication of the article. Last Sunday, October 17th, the reported New York Times about the previously withheld allegations. On the Monday after that, the Spiegel Parts of the previously unpublished research, in collaboration with the Ippen investigative team.
This development of the story has a special aftertaste, like the title of the NOW-Story – At Axel Springer, Politico’s New Owner, Allgeations of Sex, Lies and a Secret Payment – suggested. It was not until August that it became known that the Axel Springer publishing house was the US media company Politico had bought for a “record sum”.
Perhaps the pressure from the American colleagues also contributed to the serious consequences for Julian Reichelt this time. Springer board member Mathias Döpfner had “released” Reichelt from all tasks on Monday because he had “not clearly separated personal and professional matters” and had also lied to the board. In principle, the allegations are not new, only the investigative team, to which, among other things, ex-Friday-Editor Juliane Löffler has come up with significantly more burdensome details: Among other things, Julian Reichelt is said to have forged divorce papers in order to be able to continue a relationship with a woman who works for Springer-Verlag. News from publishing director Döpfner was also known, in which he described Reichelt as “the last and only journalist in Germany who still bravely rebelled against the new GDR government”.
Is the era of media hackers coming to an end now?
Although the Reichelt case is unparalleled in terms of its course and explosiveness, incidents such as those just described are anything but unusual in Germany’s media industry. This was only described in the spring of 2021 Medium Magazine Following the first allegations against Reichelt, numerous cases of sexual harassment and abuse of power by men against women in the media industry.
Usually these cases have no consequences – not this time. The spectacular success of the investigative team also has a bitter note. If it turns out that Julian Reichelt’s exemption actually took place against the background of Springer’s US deal, this would send a devastating signal effect to those affected: only when a company’s economic interests are threatened, personal consequences will be drawn. Everyone else is allowed to continue working in a climate of clubbing, abuse of power, pressure and fear until they agree or give up. And: Even after long and intensive research into reliable information, a powerful publisher can veto at any time in order to prevent everything at the last minute.
This impression was also reinforced by the behavior of Springer employees immediately after the announcement of Julian Reichelt’s de facto dismissal. Still on Monday evening they said goodbye including the deputy image-Editor-in-chief Paul Ronzheimer and other employees of the tabloid melodramatically from their boss and thanked him for his achievements. Well-known editors of those belonging to Springer world-Group joined in this choir. Anyone who did not know at that time why Julian Reichelt was dismissed did not know afterwards either: not a word about the allegations, no efforts to take the perspective of those affected. The message is clear: we stick together, and whoever attacks us does not exist for us.
Mathias Döpfner’s statements should also have consequences. The media magazine DWDL presumed whose explosive statements about the Federal Republic would be the real reason for the publication of the story in the New York Times been. This media thriller has not yet been told.
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