Rudolf Augstein(1923-2002)
Growing up in Hanover, he graduated from high school in 1941. He then started his professional career as a trainee at the "Hannoverscher Anzeiger". Augstein became a soldier in the Second World War. He came to the Eastern Front as an artillery observer, then was taken prisoner by the Americans for a short time. After his release, he worked as a journalist for the "Hannoversche Nachrichtenblatt" in 1945. In November 1946, Augstein became head of the Germany department at the news magazine "Die Wochen". The magazine was founded under British management. A year later (January 1, 1947) "This Week" was renamed "Der Spiegel". Augstein repeatedly uncovered domestic political scandals in his articles. In the same year his play "The Time is Near..." premiered. The headquarters of the magazine "Der Spiegel" was moved from Hanover to Hamburg in 1952. Augstein published his first book in 1953 under the title "Germany - a Confederation of the Rhine?"
In 1955 he joined the FDP. In the same year he acquired the magazine "Star-Revue". In 1962, the arrest of Spiegel editor Conrad Ahlers for spreading alleged military secrets triggered a government crisis. On October 26, 1962, a house search was carried out at the publishing house. The reason for this was the Spiegel article "Conditionally ready to defend". Augstein was arrested and charged with treason because the public prosecutor accused him of publishing information from a secret source in this article. He was released four months later. In 1965 the proceedings were discontinued. In the wake of this so-called "Spiegel affair," Federal Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss was forced to resign. Augstein's bestseller "Prussia's Frederick and the Germans" was published in 1968. In 1972 Augstein came to the Bundestag via the FDP. However, he resigned from this mandate just 10 weeks later.
Observers motivated this decision by the fact that Augstein could have greater political influence through the medium "Spiegel" than in parliament. In 1973, Augstein introduced a participation model at Spiegel-Verlag that turned employees into co-owners. In 1988 the program "Spiegel-TV" started on RTL and Sat.1 television. In 1995 the Hanseatic City of Hamburg made him an honorary citizen. In 1995, Stefan Aust was appointed new editor-in-chief of the magazine "Der Spiegel" at Rudolf Augstein Verlag. Augstein then increasingly withdrew from the public eye. However, he continued to comment on numerous events in politics and society well into his old age. In 1999, Augstein received an honorary doctorate from the Moscow University of Foreign Relations. In Boston in 2000, he was honored by the International Press Institute as an outstanding personality who had championed freedom of the press over the past 50 years.
In October 2000, the father of four married his last partner, Anna Maria Hürthen, after four divorced marriages. Augstein was also awarded honorary doctorates by the Bergische University in Wuppertal and the University of Hamburg. In 2001 he received the Ludwig Börne Prize for his life's work.
Rudolf Augstein died on November 7, 2002 as a result of pneumonia.
In 1955 he joined the FDP. In the same year he acquired the magazine "Star-Revue". In 1962, the arrest of Spiegel editor Conrad Ahlers for spreading alleged military secrets triggered a government crisis. On October 26, 1962, a house search was carried out at the publishing house. The reason for this was the Spiegel article "Conditionally ready to defend". Augstein was arrested and charged with treason because the public prosecutor accused him of publishing information from a secret source in this article. He was released four months later. In 1965 the proceedings were discontinued. In the wake of this so-called "Spiegel affair," Federal Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss was forced to resign. Augstein's bestseller "Prussia's Frederick and the Germans" was published in 1968. In 1972 Augstein came to the Bundestag via the FDP. However, he resigned from this mandate just 10 weeks later.
Observers motivated this decision by the fact that Augstein could have greater political influence through the medium "Spiegel" than in parliament. In 1973, Augstein introduced a participation model at Spiegel-Verlag that turned employees into co-owners. In 1988 the program "Spiegel-TV" started on RTL and Sat.1 television. In 1995 the Hanseatic City of Hamburg made him an honorary citizen. In 1995, Stefan Aust was appointed new editor-in-chief of the magazine "Der Spiegel" at Rudolf Augstein Verlag. Augstein then increasingly withdrew from the public eye. However, he continued to comment on numerous events in politics and society well into his old age. In 1999, Augstein received an honorary doctorate from the Moscow University of Foreign Relations. In Boston in 2000, he was honored by the International Press Institute as an outstanding personality who had championed freedom of the press over the past 50 years.
In October 2000, the father of four married his last partner, Anna Maria Hürthen, after four divorced marriages. Augstein was also awarded honorary doctorates by the Bergische University in Wuppertal and the University of Hamburg. In 2001 he received the Ludwig Börne Prize for his life's work.
Rudolf Augstein died on November 7, 2002 as a result of pneumonia.
