Icon: enlarge
»Bild« editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt rejects the allegations
Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa
Julian Reichelt, editor-in-chief of the "Bild" newspaper, asked to be released from his functions until the end of the compliance investigation that was ongoing against him.
The Axel-Springer-Verlag announced this.
The exemption has now taken place.
Alexandra Würzbach, editor-in-chief of "Bild am Sonntag" and member of the editor-in-chief of the "Bild" group, will be in charge of the editorial team for this period.
Axel Springer SE is currently investigating indications of possible compliance violations within the »Bild« editorial team.
Among other things, the internal investigations concern abuse of power, bullying and the exploitation of relationships of dependency.
The media group has referred the matter to Freshfields for a careful review.
"The research is open-ended in all directions and the credibility and integrity of all those involved are assessed," announced the company.
The investigation is still ongoing.
"Therefore, the company will currently not provide any further information on the procedure or the subject of the allegations."
Until then, the group warns of possible prejudices: »Axel Springer always has to distinguish very fundamentally between rumors, clues and evidence.
If rumors about other people turn into specific indications from those affected, the company - as in the current case - immediately begins to raise awareness.
When clues become evidence, the board acts.
So far there is no such evidence.
In the corporate culture of Axel Springer, making preliminary judgments on the basis of rumors is unthinkable. "
Reichelt denies the allegations
Julian Reichelt has already denied the allegations against him several times.
In an internal Slack message to his editorial team, which SPIEGEL has received, the editor-in-chief writes: “The allegations are false.
I will defend myself against those who want to destroy me because they don't like BILD and everything we stand for.
Who write about me without hearing me first because they have never liked my answers. "
"Bild" and the people in "Bild" are his life, says Reichelt.
He always did everything to »that it» image «, that we are fine and I do that today, even if it is infinitely difficult for me.
That is why I asked the board of directors to take a leave of absence for the time being in order to contribute to the unassailable investigation and to investigate the allegations that have been brought against me. "
Icon: The mirror