Anne Spiegel on vacation during the flood disaster: Minister with an emotional apology

Created: 04/11/2022 07:29

By: Katja Thorwarth

Shortly after the devastating floods in the Ahr Valley, then Environment Minister Spiegel went on vacation to France for four weeks.

now she apologizes.

Update from Monday, April 11th, 2022, 7:20 a.m .:

Federal Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) described her four-week family vacation after the flood disaster last summer as a mistake and apologized for it.

She justified her decision at the time as Minister for Family and Environment in Rhineland-Palatinate in a memorable appearance before journalists on Sunday evening, among other things, with the health of her husband, who had suffered a stroke.

Her family needed the vacation "because my husband couldn't take it anymore," said the 41-year-old, who seemed visibly battered and whose voice faltered several times during the performance.

"It was a mistake that we went on vacation for so long and I apologize for this mistake."

As a further justification, the minister stated that Corona had been “an insane challenge” for her family.

The pandemic “clearly left its mark” on her four children of daycare and primary school age.

Anne Spiegel (Greens), Federal Minister for Family Affairs, is under pressure because of a family vacation.

© Annette Riedl/dpa

Family Minister Anne Spiegel: Holidays despite the flood disaster in Ahrntal

Spiegel did not comment on the resignation demands from the opposition.

She declined to answer questions.

Her party, the Greens, initially gave no comment on Sunday evening when asked.

On Monday, the federal executive committee of the party will meet in Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, for a closed conference.

Bild reported that there was a crisis meeting with the Green Ministers Robert Habeck, Annalena Baerbock, and the party and parliamentary group leaders on Sunday.

Spiegel was suggested to resign, but she asked to be given another chance, reported Blatt.

The Greens did not initially comment on the report.  

However, the family minister had to correct information that she had given to the "Bild am Sonntag" on Saturday.

Contrary to what was originally announced, she did not join the cabinet meetings from her vacation.

The meetings were listed in their calendar.

However, a review of the cabinet minutes revealed on Sunday that she did not take part. 

Flood disaster in the Ahr Valley: Minister Spiegel went on summer vacation for four weeks

First report, April 10th, 2022:

Berlin – After the resignation of the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of the Environment Ursula Heinen-Esser (CDU) because of a holiday in Mallorca during the flood disaster, the pressure on Federal Minister for Family Affairs Anne Spiegel (Greens) is now also growing.

Only ten days after the devastating floods on the Ahr, the then Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of the Environment traveled to France for a four-week vacation with her family *, as the picture learned on Sunday at the Ministry of the Environment in Mainz.

Demands for his resignation come from the opposition.

Spiegel therefore only interrupted her vacation for two on-site appointments on August 10th.

She found out about the repairs to the sewage treatment plant in Dümpelfeld, and in the Ahr Valley she looked at how far the helpers had gotten with the clean-up work.

Then it was back to the holiday home in France - for the second half of the holiday.

According to the ministry, the vacation ended on August 23.

In defense of the long-term vacation, the Ministry of the Environment emphasized that Spiegel could have been reached "around the clock" by telephone and e-mail.

Flood disaster in the Ahr Valley: "Spiegel is unacceptable"

Spiegel had already come under criticism because she was concerned about her reputation immediately after the night of the flood.

On July 15, her spokesman wrote to the minister and other employees: "Anne needs a credible role." look like political instrumentalization".

The minister replied to her spokesman: "That coincides with my thoughts." (AFP)

After school in the voluntary service in the Ahr Valley*: This is now possible in Rhineland-Palatinate.

The project should also bring more people into the craft.