Author of books about Putin expelled from German journalist association

The German journalist association Netzwerk Recherche has expelled documentary filmmaker and writer Hubert Seipel, according to Zeit Online. Seipel, who produced a documentary and wrote two books about Vladimir Putin, was removed for violating the principles of independent journalism and harming the profession’s reputation, according to association chairman Daniel Drepper.

“He broke the fundamental rules of independent journalism and severely damaged the credibility of our profession,” said Chairman Daniel Drepper. The association’s members unanimously voted to expel Seipel.

In November 2023, it was revealed that Seipel received 600,000 euros from companies linked to Russian entrepreneur Alexey Mordashov to support his book projects. As a result, the Hamburg-based publisher Hoffmann and Campe halted sales of Seipel’s books about Putin.

In 2018, Seipel signed a “sponsorship agreement” worth 600,000 euros to create and promote the book “Putins Macht. Warum Europa Russland braucht” (“Putin’s Power: Why Europe Needs Russia”). He also signed a separate agreement in 2013 for an undisclosed amount to prepare the book “Putin. Die Logik der Macht” (“Putin: The Logic of Power”).

Hoffmann und Campe Verlag, founded in 1781 by Benjamin Gottlob Hoffmann, is a Hamburg-based book publisher and one of the oldest German-language publishers. Its notable authors include Francis Fukuyama, Serhii Plokhy, Ezra Klein, Amanda Gorman, Siegfried Lenz, Irene Dische, Wolf Haas, Jeannette Walls, and Bob Dylan. Today, Hoffmann und Campe is part of the Ganske Verlagsgruppe. 

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Main image: Kremlin

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