Powerful German Editor, Accused of Misconduct, Takes Leave
Julian Reichelt, editor of the tabloid-style Bild, denied accusations by female employees but stepped aside while the newspaper’s owner conducts an internal investigation.
Julian Reichelt became editor in chief of Bild in 2017.Credit.Clemens Bilan/EPA, via Shutterstock
Published March 14, 2021Updated April 8, 2021
The editor in chief of Bild, Europe’s largest newspaper and an influential force in German politics and society, has taken a leave of absence while a law firm conducts an investigation into accusations made against him, the publication’s owner said.
Julian Reichelt, the editor, denies accusations of misconduct, Axel Springer, Bild’s publisher, said in a statement. Springer said it had no “clear evidence” of misconduct, but had hired the law firm Freshfields to investigate the accusations. It did not specify what they were.