The editor-in-chief of “Spiegel” is leaving the news magazine.
(Photo: dpa)
Hamburg Editor-in-chief Steffen Klusmann leaves the news magazine “Der Spiegel”. The 57-year-old is leaving the editor-in-chief after the implementation of far-reaching reforms in recent years “by mutual consent,” the media company announced on Thursday in Hamburg. “Business Insider” and “dwdl.de” had previously reported on an impending departure.
Klusmann has been Spiegel boss since the beginning of 2019. The new editor-in-chief is now the “Spiegel” author Dirk Kurbjuweit. In the past there had been rumors about power struggles at the top of the “Spiegel”.
Among other things, Klusmann was quoted in the statement as saying: “We have achieved a great deal together. Most recently, however, the management and I have all too often failed to reach agreement on crucial strategic issues – which has now resulted in my resignation.” and also to make the magazine even better.”
Spiegel editor-in-chief: Klusmann took over during the Relotius affair
Klusmann’s start as editor-in-chief was bumpy, because it coincided with the time when the magazine’s biggest scandal was being worked up: the affair surrounding the forged texts by the hitherto celebrated “Spiegel” author Claas Relotius. Leading the editorial team during this difficult time earned him respect.
At that time, Klusmann switched from “Manager Magazin”, which he had been editor-in-chief since November 2013, to the top job within the “Spiegel” publishing group. Before that, the native of Karlsruhe had been deputy editor-in-chief of “Stern” for a few months at competitor Gruner + Jahr. His earlier professional positions included, with interruptions, his position at the “Financial Times Deutschland” since 1999. In 2004 he became editor-in-chief there. The newspaper (Gruner + Jahr) was discontinued in 2012.
In an interview with the German Press Agency at the end of 2021 on the 75th anniversary of the magazine “Der Spiegel”, Klusmann said: “You should factor in the fact that you can quickly tear yourself up at the top of the “Spiegel” when you accept the job. Otherwise, out of sheer fear, you either do nothing or do everything wrong.”
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