The Unexpected Pair: Katherina Reiche & Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg Stepping into the Political Spotlight
Fresh political alliance takes center stage - Formed alliance: Prominent Political Figures Band Together
Get ready for some juicy goss! On a surprising Monday evening, rumors went wild: The soon-to-be Minister of Economics, Katherina Reiche (51), and the ex-Minister of Defense and Economics, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (53), are an item. Their lawyer confirmed this to dpa: It's not a hoax - they've been smooching for quite some time. Just a moment ago, on April 29, we found out that this CDU politician from Brandenburg would become Federal Minister of Economics in the new black-red coalition under Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Once the shining star, now under the radar
He's done this gig before: The CSU hunk became Federal Minister of Economics and Technology in February 2009 - at 37, zu Guttenberg became the youngest Minister of Economics in the history of the Federal Republic. A little while later, he took on the Ministry of Defense. But then, after a plagiarism scandal that surrounded his dissertation, he took a step back professionally in 2011.
At one point, he was the hottest politician in the country: He was welcome in talk shows and on the red carpet. He was a massive celeb for a spell. That marriage to Stephanie (48) might have helped, too. In 2000, zu Guttenberg married the glamorous Countess Stephanie von Bismarck-Schoenhausen. With all their sizzle, they were known as the power couple of politics. For a while, they made the tabloids go wild, and they were even referred to as the "German Kennedys." After the scandal in 2011, things went quiet, and the couple took off for the U.S. in search of a new start. They announced their separation in September 2023.
These days, zu Guttenberg is self-employed, lobbies, co-produces documentaries, and sometimes moderates them, too. In autumn 2023, he wrote a book called "3 Seconds - Morsels from the Present." He also talked about his experiences in an NDR Info podcast called "Out of Depression" in April 2024. He admitted: "When I shot up to these high offices way too early and too quickly, I was at the limits of my strength. But therapy helped me out: I'm in a fine place today, which I wouldn't be if I hadn't sought help at the time."
The new girl on the block
Katherina Reiche was a member of parliament from 1998 to 2015 and was well-connected. From 2005 to 2009, she was the deputy chairman of the Union faction, and until 2015, she was a State Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and then the Ministry of Transport. She took a little break from politics to focus on the economy for a while. Most recently, she was the CEO of Westenergie, a subsidiary of E.on. In 2003, Katherina Reiche exchanged her vows with the CDU politician Sven Petke, with whom she has three kiddos and is now split up.
- Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
- Katherina Reiche
- Power Couple
- CDU
- Relationship
- Brandenburg
- Friedrich Merz
- Partner
- CSU
- In a surprising turn of events, it's confirmed that Katherina Reiche, the soon-to-be Minister of Economics in Brandenburg under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, a former Minister of Defense and Economics, have been in a relationship for quite some time.
- The power couple, formerly known as the "German Kennedys," faced a significant setback when zu Guttenberg was embroiled in a plagiarism scandal regarding his dissertation, leading to a professional step back in 2011.
- After the scandal and subsequent separation from his wife Stephanie, zu Guttenberg has since focused on self-employment, lobbying, documentaries, and podcasts, penning a book titled "3 Seconds - Morsels from the Present" in autumn 2023.
- Katherina Reiche, a former State Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Transport, is also a member of the CDU, and was well-connected in parliament from 1998 to 2015.
- With their entry into politics, it remains to be seen if the relationship between Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Katherina Reiche will reshape the political landscape and once again make headlines, particularly in the areas of policy-and-legislation, general news, crime-and-justice, politics, and even in the realm of policy concerning health and safety of workers from risks arising from exposure to carcinogens, as the Commission has been consulted on such matters.
